Ninjago: Masters of Zombie Slaying
by Zane-Ninjago12
Summary: A mysterious epidemic has turned the peaceful land of Ninjago into a zombie infested continent. Most of the land's population have already transformed, leaving the rest to survive for themselves. All hope seems to be lost. That is, until a cure is finally found... and he must be protected at all costs. Rated T for blood and gore. Maybe some language here and there.
1. The Apocalypse

So~ I won't be able to upload today, and _probably_ not tomorrow since I have to give a speech at the same time that I have my study hall, so I won't have much time to work on my stories. In the meantime, here's the first chapter of the Zombie AU for Ninjago. :)

For those who aren't aware, the AU (Alternate Universe) is basically Ninjago in a zombie scenario. It wasn't my idea but I loved the idea so much I decided to make a new story on it.

I do not own Ninjago or it's characters.

* * *

Chapter 1: The Apocalypse

A loud cry filled the air, followed shortly by the loud shot of a pistol. The gunman ran towards his prey, but it was not his target. No, his target was the elderly man who was now on the ground, blood drooling from a wound in his ankle. The second-time-dead corpse lay behind them, a mix of red and green colored blood drooling from a whole in between its eyes.  
"Father!" The teen cried out. He dropped his gun to the ground and placed his gloved hand above the wound, the other on his dad's forehead. Tears began to fill the boys eyes. "Father no! Do not make me do this!"  
"S-Son...?" The man struggled. His head fell to his side, his green eyes looking up to his only child. "You have to-"  
"No!" The boy screamed, shaking his head, "Father I cannot loose you! I have lost so much already! You are all I have left! If you-"  
"Son! We both know it was my time anyway! Do it now before IT happens!" The father commanded.  
The boy's hands shook violently as they hovered over the gun at his side. He swallowed. The shot he fired moments ago was his first actual time shooting a gun, and he could not explain how he had aimed it so perfectly, he merely did it upon instinct. Could he really bring himself to shoot his father? The boy's eyes flew from the gun to his father has the man gave a small growl.  
"Very well... if you refuse... then run away as fast as your legs can carry you... Do not look back." The boy gasped slightly as his father gave a cough, "Son" you have to be strong... you are going to do great things in this world... make me proud... son..."  
The man's head fell to the side, his eyes remaining open as a breath escaped his parted lips. The boy shook his head, the tears spilling from his eyes. He fell from his knees to his side, splashing in a puddle of red crimson liquid. Who cares if he was infected now. Who cared if the blood of the infected mixed into his scratches... who cared if THEY got him. He already lost everything.  
After a few moments of the boy sobbing somewhat loudly, a strangled gasp came from his father, and the boy slowly got to his knees again, peering at the green eyes. "F-Father...?"  
The green eyes that used to bring the boy hope slowly turned into the boy's worst nightmare. The man's pupils shrunk to almost nothing, and his eyes lost their color, paling until there was no iris left, leaving the whole eye pure white. The boy yelped and grasped the gun, wriggling along the ground away from his father who glared at him. His skin was grayer now, staring at his son with dead, evil eyes. The now living corpse growled deeply and reached out a long arm towards the boy, eager to pull the child to his death. All he managed was to rip the white pant leg that protected the boy's flesh.  
The teen struggled to his feet, staring in pure horror at his father. The old man gave a fierce shriek, and the boy gasped, looking from the corpse to his surroundings. It was so sudden; nearly hundreds of stumbling bodies ran towards the boy. A hand suddenly grabbed the teen's ankle, and the boy yelped to find his father going to chomp his leg. He screamed, pointing the gun in between his father's eyes.  
A loud bang filled the air.  
The teen turned swiftly away from the herd. He stumbled down the street, running as fast as his legs could take him. He continued to sprint, despite the scratch on his left foot.  
Zane Julien turned and watched with tear filled eyes as the bodies fell around his father and began dinning upon him.

* * *

Why am I always so cruel to Zane?


	2. Family Issues

I do not own Ninjago or its characters.

Chapter 2: Family Issues  
"I could use— a little— help here!" A boy with raven hair called.  
"You look like you got it son," his father sang.  
Moments like this often made Cole Brookstone wonder if his father cared for their survival. This would happen quite often, Cole would be fighting while the dancer would stay on the porch of the house and watch, singing a tune in order to "help motivate his son".  
A zombie came up to the raven-haired boy, and he slammed his metal shovel into what was left of its head. He was glad he was in a ski mask and a sweater, as it prevented the gore from touching his skin.  
It was unknown if the flesh, blood, or matter of a corpse could infect a human by mere touch, but Cole dared not try. He was the only thing keeping his father and himself alive. While the clothes kept gore away, it did not keep the heat out. The black threads called the heat, drinking it in thirstily, and Cole hated that, but it was the only thing they had.  
He was glad when he slammed his shovel into the last zombie's head. Maybe now he could rest. He may have had strange strength, but even he had his limits. He threw his shovel on the porch, and thudded on the chair next to the front door of their home. He stared at the weapon. It often reminded him of a scythe, the way the metal was broken into a weird curve on one side. He liked it that way, only because he could hook it on a corpses neck and ring it around him for extra protection.  
Cole gave a sigh, pulling the turtle neck of his sweater from his mouth and pulling the ski mask away from his head. He glanced to his father to see him shining a golden trophy with a white rag. The trophy was grand, a prized possession of his father, with the words on the pedestal on the bottom reading "Blade Cup" and the blade stuck in the top resembling a fang.  
Cole often wondered if the old man cared more for the trophy than he did his own son. Whenever a zombie herd came by he would tell his son to take care of it and would grasp the trophy, sitting on the porch and watching his son fight.  
"You know," came his father's voice, jarring Cole from his thoughts, "You could be a little more graceful when fighting. Put a spin or two in your actions and make a show out of it."  
Cole had been thinking about abandoning his father. All he seemed to think about was Cole either dancing or singing. Any time they saw each other his father would say something about a tap here or a chorus there while he fought. Cole couldn't dance, and did not like dancing. It seemed too… feminine for a man of his muscular stature.  
"Why do you always ask me to dance?" He asked, making no attempt to hide the annoyance in his voice.  
His father stared at his reflection in the golden prize, "It is a family tradition. We are the Royal Blacksmiths, dancers and singers of the new generation-"  
"Look around dad! There IS no new generation! We are all doomed because of these... these… THINGS-"  
His father's face turned red, and he stood, holding the trophy with one hand that turned white against the handle on the side. "Your mother is one of those "things"!"  
Cole stood, staring straight at his father's silver eyes that mirrored his own, "And whose fault is that?" Cole snarled.  
Now Cole had said things in the past that were cruel to his father, all of which responded in his father walking away, but not this time. Lou Brookstone stared at his son for a few moments, before raising a fist. Fast as lightning his fist came down of his son's nose, and it felt as heavy as a boulder.  
Cole fell onto his back and stared up at his father, pain and shock mixed in his face. "Father… you… you hit me…"  
"Get out of my sight, Cole."  
"But-"  
"Go!"  
Cole swallowed and stood, walking into the house slowly and stumbling slightly. He grabbed a clean towel and began cleaning the blood from his face. That was the first time his father had ever hit him… and it hurt more than just Cole's nose.  
The dancer's son ran upstairs and into his room, tears threatening to fall. Cole had only cried once, when he found his mother's walking corpse walking away and into the city. Cole burst into his room, throwing open and slamming the door back with forces that almost tore it from its hinges.  
The teen threw himself onto his bed, burying his face within a pillow. He turned his head and grasped a dragon doll that his mother had given him long ago. It was rather small, only as big as his palm, but it's meaning might as well have been as big as a real dragon. It was a brown dragon with four wings on its back in the shape of diamonds, and it stood on four legs like a normal lizard. It's red eyes and white pupils were scary to the small boy at first, but as he grew he saw the feelings of kindness and safety that the doll brought him, and the red eyes became a safe thing for him to look at. He named the stuffed animal Rocky.  
"This life isn't one worth living," the boy mumbled at his dragon doll. "I must find one worth it. I will run from this home, and find people who could and would fight to stay alive.  
Cole got up and walked to his closet. He looked around, finding a second black sweater and black jeans. He hesitantly placed them in a bag and grasped Rocky, tucking him carefully within the pair of jeans he currently wore. He walked downstairs, careful to stay out of his father's sight. He slipped into the kitchen and found the cans of food. He left ten days worth of food for his father, plenty for him to think about his actions and realize what he had done. Cole smiled as he tightened the bag's knot.  
"Going somewhere son?" Cole gasped and turned to the doorway to see his father standing there, arms crossed and a hand stroking his fancy mustache. The teen swallowed, staring at his father. "You know you should tell me before you leave."  
"And why is that? Is it so you can eat whatever food I leave in the house while I hunt? Do not think I have not noticed the missing cans and meat slabs."  
"You ungrateful little— I-I have kept us alive!"  
That was it.  
Cole stood, grasping the bag tightly. "You lie! You have not kept us alive, I have! I have gotten the food and I have gotten the clean water! The only reason we are still alive is because I fight! You do nothing but polish your precious trophy! Do you even care if we live!?"  
Lou raised another fist, but Cole knew it was coming. He ducked and landed his own punch on his father's leg, making him fall to the ground. Cole quickly grabbed the bag and ran over his father to the doorway. Cole managed to snatch his metal shovel and jump from the porch before his father exited the house.  
"If you leave don't even think about coming back, Cole Brookstone!" Lou screamed as he reached the porch.  
"Gladly!" Cole shouted back, not caring if he attracted attention from the zombies.  
"Cole Brookstone, get back here NOW!"  
"Stop screaming, father. You'll attract attention!"  
"If you leave you're no son of mine!"  
Cole paused. Honestly, what did he have to gain from leaving…? But what did he gain by staying? His mind was set, and he continued walking.  
His father continued to shout from the porch, screams changing from "your useless to me," to "I'm sorry, come back son!" But it was too late; Cole had lived through too much to deal with his father. He turned greedy after Cole's mother died, and that had worn Cole to the edge. He felt bad about leaving his father to die, the dancer being his only blood relative, but he was too much for Cole right now.  
"Take care, Lou," he whispered, dragging his scythe-like shovel along the ground.

**So, as promised there's chapter 2!**

**I feel like Cole was a bit OOC... oh well.**

**Oh! Also, I said in one of the Chapters of my other stories that I was deciding names for the Ninja and I've decided.**

**Zane, Lloyd, and Jay have canon names, so I can't change them.**

**Cole Brookstone**

**Kai and Nya Smith.**

**I know they're cheesy, but hey, they work and sound nice (not to mention that Ninjago Bloopers had Smith as Kai and Nya's last names).**


	3. Separation

Chapter 3: Separation

I don't own Ninjago or its characters.

.

"Kai! Kai where are you?" Nya twirled around, searching through the crowd in an attempt to find her lost brother.  
"Nya!" He responded, pushing through the crowd to her. He managed to grasp her hand and pull her close. "Listen Nya, you have to go on the carriage."  
"What? Kai, no!"  
"It's the only way you'll make it out of here alive! Father gave me the task of protecting you and I won't fail him! You always quote father, so quote him now! What would he want?"  
Nya stared at her brother's bright amber eyes, tears in hers. "Kai… Take this… It was mothers… I feel there's more to it than meets the eye."  
And that was when she handed him a brilliant bracelet. It wrapped around his wrist, luckily tight enough to remain on without slipping off when he waved. Kai trailed a finger absently along the golden trails and swirls that decorated the crimson metal brace until he reached the small dragon made out of ruby, gold spurting out of its mouth as though it were flame. Heat seemed to gather around the bracelet as both of the siblings made skin contact with the crimson wrist band, but quickly disappeared as Nya's hand pulled away.  
"I want this back Kai. Find me and give me this in the future. I will be able to keep hope this way…. Hope that you will find me."  
"Nya… I-"  
A scream rang out across the square. Everyone turned in shock to see a massive amount of zombies stumble in the town through the fence. One made it to a woman and bit her in the neck. The zombies came in by large numbers, catching random civilians and munching on their flesh. The act was so quick that some people stood in shock and horror.  
A guard suddenly grabbed Nya and shoved her towards the carriage. She gave a yelp as she was tossed up onto the truck, the door slamming shut behind her. She turned around to face the giant crowd behind her. Almost all of the citizens in the crowd were men and boys now, but a few women were mixed within the chaos. Nya could tell where her brother was by the red motorcycle outfit he wore.  
"Kai!" She screamed.  
"Nya! Sister, I'll find you! Don't worry about me!"  
The engine started, and the truck lurched forward. Nya stared at her brother as he turned and slammed his fist into a Zombie's forehead, stomping on its head when it hit the ground. He quickly circled and elbowed another. Nya tried to stand to keep watching her brother, but the guard hanging onto the trunk threatened to knock her out. A tear trailed down her cheek as she watched the town, Ignacia, disappear beyond the horizon.

Kai Smith had always been one for speed. He owned quite a few motorbikes, but none matched his spruced up treasure. The red paint matched his biking gear and his helmet, and the dragon that curled around the bike and his helmet were both painted bright gold. The light of the day was dimmed through the black visor, allowing him to look around with ease and without the need to block his view.  
Kai named his bike Flame, after the dragon and the flames that shot out of the pipes in the back. The bike gleamed in the light, being as shiny as it could possibly be. His helmet was the same, and his leather suit clean as a whistle.  
He shot through the desert, sending sand everywhere from his tires. He smirked as the motor sounded in his ears. He drove up a hill and skid to a stop, sliding his bike left in the process. Kai removed his helmet, revealing his newly scarred face and his spiky, dark brown hair and bright amber eyes. He took in a deep breath as he looked over the horizon, seeing the small town his sister and he used to live in. He swallowed, horrified as he saw the group of zombies walking to get his friends and bite them. The remaining people would never be able to get out, the only way out of the fence was either the whole the corpses had created, or the exit that the trucks left through. For now, it looked like he was the only one who got out.  
Kai sighed, feeling a tear fall down his cheek, stinging his new wounds as he saw a flame burst from a house. The remaining citizens must have decided to burn and destroy the zombies there… Kai looked down to see Nya's bracelet wrapped around his wrist over his suit, and smiled at it. He placed his helmet back on, and started his bike. He spun his tires, throwing sand off the hill, and sped off once more, leaving the only place he had ever known to be his home.  
"Don't worry Nya," he said through his helmet to himself. "I will find you... soon."

The sound of heavy trucks echoed through the empty road, and the sound of human conversations followed shortly. Continuous talks about how long it would take to reach their destination, or where they were even going. A few of the kids played eye spy, all innocent despite the evil world around them. The parents were closely watching their kids while they talked about their past lives and new goals. Nya Smith simply stared at her feet in sorrow.  
The deep, blood red color of her shoes reminded Nya of her brother, and her eyes released a few tears, ruining her make up slightly. "Kai…" she whispered.  
Had he survived the attack? Had he managed to get away or was he… bitten?  
"Don't worry," Nya looked to her left to see a young girl smiling at her. The innocent look in her eyes… it reminded Nya of her mother. "Daddy is still in the town. I'm sure that he will save everyone with your brother." Nya stared at the girl for a few moments, and blinked twice. "Are you ok?" The girl asked, crooking her head slightly at her. Nya smiled and petted the spot next to her, and the girl squeezed in.

"I am now... Thank you," Nya replied. "What's your name?"

"I'm Mary," the girl said as she looked at Nya's amber eyes, smiling brightly.  
"Hello, Mary. You can call me Nya."

**Chapter 3!**

**So.. for clarities sake, I'm going to say that there will be some time skips here and there, but I will say when they happen. :)**

**Just wanted to point it out incase there are any confusions in later chapters when there are months/weeks between them. These chapters are just the introductions to characters, so... not many time skips here. All of this is happening pretty much at the same time.**

**Wednesday you can expect the next chapter! :D**


	4. Walkers

"Eat metal, you flesh eating scum," Jay Walker screamed, slamming a crowbar into a Zombie's jaw, and finishing by slamming it into its skull. Jay panted heavily, leaning on the bar as he looked up at the sky. Fighting in the sun was hard when you were in the desert.  
"Hey son! Look what I found!" Ed shouted, throwing a pipe at his son.  
"If we find the ingredients we can make a potato gun." The boy replied, catching it.  
"That's our boy," Edna said as she put a hand on her son's blue long-sleeved shirt. Jay smiled.  
Unlike most people, the Walkers did as their last name implied: they walked the streets rather than staying at a base. They liked to see the wonders of the world, and look at all the metal and junk that they could craft with. It seemed that the whole family could craft everything out of anything. Of course, a little duck tape helped a lot.  
"I think this town is done… I don't think anything survived the fire." Ed said.  
"I don't even know what could have started the fire. Maybe a rouge decided that the town was actually killing its people than keeping them alive." Jay replied.  
"But where are all the women and children? All of these people are males." Edna asked.  
"Maybe the women got out in time. The townsfolk may have wanted the children and the women to get out first." Ed said as he picked up a piece of glass, throwing it away.  
"Mom, where are we?" Jay frowned.  
"Hm… the map says we're in someplace called Ignacia. This place used to be a beautiful village surrounded by water and grass, but now its swallowed within a desert."  
"Really? Then the desert must have taken this place recently, it wasn't like this when Jay was born."  
"Oh, that's right! Oh poor Richard."  
"Who's Richard?" Jay wondered.  
"Oh, Richard is the blacksmith here, or he was until he died of illness. Richard worked as a doctor. His title was um… Ed, dear, what as it?"  
"Dr. Smith. He was the father of the two little ones, remember?"  
"Oh yes! I can't remember their names… Mya and Dai? No… I can't remember…. Anyway, he was the Mayor here, and his son took over shortly after he died. Such a young age too. Oh, I hope they got out." Edna looked to Jay with a small smile.  
"Well, how about we go and find out. Let's continue and find them." Jay stepped down from a cement block. "Let's get what we can and continue on."  
"Spoken like a true Walker." Ed said, smiling. Jay gave a small laugh and nodded. "Ok, it seems that the Zombies are gone, so I think it's safe to split up. Jay, go north— that way. Edna, dear, go that way— southeast, and I'll go southwest. We all move to the right and meet back here after you've completed a circle. Go."  
Jay smiled and ran his way the farthest reach of the town. He stopped, staring up as a huge fence. He turned and began his circle. Normally he would just walk through, finding anything obvious and leaving the rest for his parents to find. But this time he actually searched. He lifted stones, rubble and brushed dirt away from things that poked out of the ground.  
Jay smiled as he found a long hose and a metal pipe. He tied the hose around his upper body, making it a strange form of sash before he slid the pipe in it. He smirked as he thought about the stories he had heard about people who snuck around and acted as spies and protectors for the First Spinjitzu Master. What did the comic call them...? Ninja?  
Jay's favorite weapon had always been Nunchucks, hearing about how the Ninja of Lightning would crack a bolt of electricity from them and end their opponents. Jay wasn't dumb though, he knew that nunchucks wouldn't really do that, but he wanted a pair anyway. For now he settled on the version he made himself, made from safety outlets tapped together. Sure they weren't good for Zombies, but it was useful for thieves.

Jay blinked in awe at a gaping hole that cracked trough the wooden fence. How had that happened? Surely the zombies hadn't been smart enough to break through the wood… right? Jay had heard of virus's improving but not this fast. He made a mental checkmark to remind his parents.  
It was almost sunset when Jay returned to the center of the town again, sitting on a crisped chair as he waited for his parents to return. He pulled out his nunchucks and twirled them around, he tried handstands and cartwheels, it seemed he did everything as the moon rose over the horizon. Still, Jay's parents didn't show up.  
He grew restless, as it was his personality. He constantly had the feeling to move and talk. Jay quickly got up and began to run around the town in search of Ed and Edna. He reached the hole in the fence and stared at it.  
That's when he heard the first scream.  
"MOM!" He screeched, rushing towards the source of the cry. He stumbled multiple times, and even cut his hand on a piece of glass. "Mom, where are you?"  
"Jay!" Ed screamed towards his son, and Jay veered to the right.  
"Mom! Dad!"  
"Jay, stay away, sweetie! Go where it's safe!"  
Jay froze in place as he stared at his parents. Three zombies cornered them; all held back by the metal bar that Ed jammed into the walls. The Zombies were really dumb if they didn't think about going under or above. "Mom! Dad!"  
"Jay!" Edna screamed, helping Ed push the bar from its location. Blood flowed from both of their arms, and Jay felt tears fill his eyes.  
"No!" Jay screeched, taking a few steps back. "NO!"  
"Jay sweetie! Run, run as far as you can and don't look back." Edna whispered.  
"We're sorry son." Ed finished, smiling a fake smile at his son.  
Jay took a step back, his head shaking in denial. He swallowed hard and turned.  
He had always been a mama's boy, following her around and constantly asking her questions. Jay did as his mother said— he ran and he didn't look back.  
Tears filled his eyes as he ran through the desert sand. Thunder cracked viciously in the sky, and heavy raindrops began to fall. Too bad it wasn't a better day to enjoy the water… giving how rare it was here in the desert.  
He always ran fast, and thought he was the fastest one in the world. He loved to run, feeling the wind blow through his brunette hair. But now, he hated it. He hated the wind that blew him backwards towards his parents. He hated the rain that cooled him off to the point that he wanted to play in it. He hated the feeling of his feet hitting the ground, drawing him farther and farther from his mother and father.  
**Chapter 4!**

**I'm being so mean to everyone. But don't worry, it'll get better for them.**

**So~ I needed a name for Kai's father to help tell that they're in Kai's hometown so I wasn't sure if he had an actual name... so I just said Richard.**

**And yeah, The Ninja is a comic book. I wanted to work them in somehow. X3**


	5. The Man

**Sorry for not updating this yesterday, I had a band meeting at the last moment and it lasted longer than any of us expected.**

**But here's chapter 5!**

The sun shined brightly through the leaves as Zane ran. He assumed he had been rushing on his legs for a few days at the least. He hadn't stopped, and if he did it was only for an hour or so of sleep or to nibble slightly at some burger he had found at a fast food restaurant. His bag felt heavy on his back, but at the same time it seemed not to be there. He was trained to carry heavier bags, but not at such extreme distances like this. Especially not with a leg wound.  
Zane panted and slowed to a stop, glancing over to a house. It wouldn't hurt to stop for a little bit… right?  
The blonde teen made his way to the house, limping slightly across the rock driveway and to the front door. A knife kept a paper attached to the door, a faint trail of reddish-brown liquid drooled from it.  
"Zombies inside. Do not enter," Zane read. His voice cracked, probably from dehydration and lack of us. He pried the weapon from the wood and wiped the liquid on his white jeans. Whether there were zombies in there or not, Zane needed to enter. He was running low on food and other supplies, not to mention his leg couldn't hold him up for long.

Zane grasped the blade tightly, and slowly walked to the side. He saw a window, and went for it. He prayed for a moment and turned to peer in. His heart sank as he saw almost a dozen corpses walking around, stumbling over furniture or themselves. Zane turned back and stared at a tree in the distance.  
Ok… could he fight all of those zombies with the weapons he had on him? He had a sniper rifle, but that would draw attention, same with his pistol. He had to save his grenades for real emergencies, besides it would make too much noise. Zombies that were in the general area could hear it. He would have no choice but to use his knife… something very idiotic. Fighting a Zombie hand-to-hand was something that Zane considered insane. It left the human far too exposed to a bite.  
But Zane would have to… he had to find medicine if he could and this was the only house he could possibly see for miles.  
The blonde swallowed and raised an elbow. He took a deep breath and slammed his elbow into the window, shattering the glass. A loud group of moans came from inside, getting closer as the corpses stumbled their way to the window. One caught its foot on a glass piece, and slammed his chest on the glass remaining in the window. Zane moved as fast as lighting, slamming the blade within the zombie's head. Another fell on top of that one, and Zane managed to kill that one as well. It seemed his plan was working.  
He did the same thing for five zombies, waiting until they were caught in the window before striking. Unfortunately, the window began to be too full, and Zane was forced to push them into the house to free room. He pushed as hard as he could, and succeeded, but a zombie snatched his arm. Sharp nails raked down his arm, from elbow to wrist.  
Zane buried the blade within the weak skull, forcing his arm from the claws and away from the window. He prayed silently that none of the zombie's blood had gotten into his wounds, and he killed another. There were a few times where he would feel distant, and his world would dim in color, usually when Zane used effort to stab a zombie.  
One of the males slapped him across the face, making him flip over the window and within the house. A shard was stuck in his back, limiting his movement slightly. The odds weren't looking good, but there were so few. Maybe three were left.  
Zane kicked one of the zombies into the table in the center of the room, a peg made its way through the corpses chest, keeping him in place. Another zombie was pushed against a wall where a knife was pushed into its forehead. The last was forced to the stairs where Zane managed the last kill.  
He sweated and panted heavily as he made his way up the stairs to a hallway. He needed medicine or else he would either bleed to death or have an infection. He checked the first door to find it empty- a classic bedroom. It was the same with the next three rooms. He found the last door locked, and frowned. He pushed on it, finding that it wouldn't budge.  
"Hello?" He cracked, trying to sound unwounded. "Is someone in there?"  
A moment of silence, but Zane's trained ears picked up a soft gasp. The sound of crying soon followed. It grew louder as a click indicated that the door was unlocked.  
The door swung open slowly, as Zane stared in shock as a man stood at the door. He was dressed in a green sweater, a fancy white collar-shirt beneath. A small golden dragon swirled over his heart. The man stared with teary, golden eyes as his pale-blonde hair fell over his right eye.  
"Someone came…" He whispered, his voice surprisingly healthy. "You killed the zombies… you saved me... I would tell you my name but that is unimportant in this world… did you happen to see a young boy downstairs?"  
Zane shook his head, putting a confused look on his face. "Why are you in here…?"  
"The invasion of our home happened so fast. My boy fled with his mother, but I was unable to get out. I was lucky to have been able to grab food and water before they burst through the door…." His eyes drifted down, staring at Zane's wounds. "I can heal you. I hope you didn't get any of their blood in those… It'll burn if you did." The man led Zane into the room, and he sat him on the bed. "I'll be back…" The man said as he turned and left.  
Zane surveyed the area. A simple bed and dresser were kept in here, and there seemed to be a bathroom extension. Cans of food such as fruit and certain meats were placed in a far corner next to a handful of water bottles.  
"I found some bandages and some clothes for you. I'll have to boil them though before I use them, don't want to take any risks now do we?"  
"How…?"  
"Are you asking how we boil the water? Well, we use the stove of course."  
"You have running water and electricity?"  
"Luckily. We use a generator… Come on now, we have to go downstairs."  
"There is still a live one down there. He's trapped for now."  
"I'll take care of him, but for now you are priority."  
Zane grabbed the bucket filled with bandages as he was led down the stairs. He sat on the couch and watched as the man turned on the stove.  
"We wait now," the man said as he pushed a blade into the remaining corpse's head. "So… tell me about yourself. Why did you come and how did you get here?"  
Zane didn't say anything; instead he stared at his feet like a hawk watching its prey.  
"You don't talk much. That's a start. Do you have any companions? Somewhere you live?"  
Zane cringed slightly and stared at the man with cold eyes.  
"Ok, I've hit something sensitive. I won't continue. How about… what weapons do you have? I see you have a sniper on your back... and you a knife judging from the looks of these zombies. Is that it?"  
Zane swallowed, but eventually answered softly. "I have three grenades, a pistol, a sniper and a knife…" He glanced to the stove, wishing for it to hurry.  
The man stood and walked to it, putting a finger in the water, wincing lightly. "A little longer," he said as he plunked the bandages within it, along with scissors and some clothes. He stood for a few moments before turning the stove off and bringing the bucket in the room.  
He knelt in front of Zane. "Ok… first your ankle. It seems like an old wound." Zane silently lifted it and placed it on the man's knee. "How did you get this? How have you kept it clean?"  
"I tore my sleeve and wrapped it," he answered, trying to avoid the first question. He raised his left arm to show the man his torn sleeve.  
"You did a good job… are you trained in first aid?"  
Zane shrugged and stared as the man unraveled the cloth. The wound itself was ugly, three strikes where claws dug into his skin.  
"Nicely cleansed… bandaged… water…" The man muttered as he reached into the bucket, grabbing the sponge. He placed it on the wound and Zane gasped. "Sorry!" The man announced, pushing it harder. "I should have warned you." After the dried blood was removed the real damage could be seen. "It seems like the scratch didn't hit anything vital... it isn't too serious. You should heal in time." He took gauze out and began wrapping the wound. "It would heal faster if you refrain from walking for a few days."  
Zane didn't say anything as he turned so the man could check check the glass in his back. The man regretfully told the blonde that it would hurt, but he would have to pull it out. He gave Zane a wad of gauze for him to bite, and placed his fingers on the palm-sized piece. Zane bit the gauze as the shard was pulled out slowly, but dropped it by accident as the man placed the sponge over the area. A few minutes passed before he felt the bandages be wrapped around his waist.  
"Onto the bad one…" the man muttered as he stared at Zane's arm. "Considering that it's open and fresh, I think we should add disinfectant." Zane swallowed, and the man saw his action. "I'm sorry but it's the best way to-"  
"Do it…" Zane whispered as he griped the gauze between his teeth once more, arm stretched out.  
The man stared for a few moments at Zane's face. "Very well… I'll try to do it quickly." He reached over and snatched the bottle and poured it on a cloth.  
"You remind me of my boy, though he was little," the man said, hovering the cloth over the wounds. "Smart, skillful… innocent." Zane frowned at the man, but it was soon replaced as the towel met his scratches. He tried to pull away, but the man held it tightly. "Judging by the use of your pistol and sniper I have to say you have a good aim too, just like he did."  
Zane paused for a moment as the cloth brushed his scratches again. He swallowed through the pain, "What… what was his name…?"  
The man paused, the cloth staying on a deep part of the scratch, "I'd rather not say…"  
"I understand."  
The cleaning finally finished and Zane grabbed the gauze. The man began wrapping the upper part of the wound, slowly making his way down Zane's arm.

Zane broke the silence. "Why do you live?" The man glanced up, surprised by the question. Zane looked to his boots again, "This world is destroyed… monsters that we once knew as people walk the streets… there is no sign of a cure and yet there are people like you who… who live on. Why?"  
The man thought for a moment before he continued wrapping. "Well… why do you live?" Zane didn't respond, and the man sighed. "I live because I have hope that my son will grow up. I have a hope that this will all end and I can live on. It may sound idiotic, and rather cliché, but hope is the only thing left in humanity nowadays."  
"Is… Is that why you stay here…? In hopes he will return here?"  
"No. I hope he never returns here. I love my son, don't get me wrong, but I want him to help the world."  
"Help…?"  
The man finished the wrapping and sat up, his bones popping. "Yes, help. You see, my son… I'll explain later. You must be tired, and this story is rather complicated. Maybe I shall tell you tomorrow."  
"I thank you for the hospitality… but I cannot stay."  
"If you go you'll risk infection and death. It'll heal faster if you stay."  
Zane didn't reply, but stood up and walked with the man upstairs. He chose the room next to the man's and sat on the bed.  
"I'll leave you to your thoughts and rest for now… I will see you in the morning." He turned to leave, but Zane stopped him.  
"If I stay, we should at least know each others' names... I am Zane."  
The man thought for a second before sighing, nodding slightly. "You're right. You can call me Garmadon."

**So I'll upload tomorrow in order to stay on schedule.**

**2 more chapters until Fanfiction is caught up with DeviantART.**

**Chapter 6 tomorrow! :D**


	6. Run to the City

**I was asked if there will be a chapter where all the main ninja will meet. Yes there will be one. I'm just showing the characters' hardships and some of their backstories... and was setting up for Zane to meet Garmadon so that the cure and such could be explained. :D**

**So~ Without further ado, Chapter 6!**

Cole shivered, huddled up to the brick wall with his blanket around his body. He had built a small shelter from the bricks, a random umbrella and his shovel. The only real part the zombies may have reached him from was the top, and that was if they could lift things. Idiots never think to look under something for food.  
"It's ok, Rocky…. Everything's going to be fine. I'll keep us alive…." Cole whispered as he pet the stuffed dragon's head. Lightning cracked, and Cole managed to keep himself from screaming in horror. He never liked lightning… never knew why.  
A moan was heard in the distance, and Cole held his breath. He silently preyed and huddled closer to the wall. It took his whole being to keep himself from screaming as a thud was heard right in front of him.  
The zombie stood, its shadow flashing on the umbrella and made Cole shiver in fear. It was so close… almost close enough to touch him. Too close.  
'Can it smell me?' Cole had to shake his head to get the thought out of his head. 'No… No Rocky and I are safe…. especially with the shovel here for me to use.'  
The zombie paused for a moment, almost as though it were trying to find him, the source of the scent. Cole held his breath, waiting for the rain to hit his head and to see the corpse's face. Another flash of lightning illuminated the umbrella, revealing the zombie to be standing right next to him. Cole swallowed, sweating and trying not to let his breathing be too loud. It took another step, and Cole could see three fingertips reach in.  
That's all it took.  
Cole screamed, grabbing the shovel and jumping out, slamming the jagged end into the zombie's head. He watched as the corpse fell once more, and Cole gave a loud sigh in relief. He heard another low moan and looked up in the dark night. Another flash, and Cole's heart dropped. He stared in pure horror as a gigantic group crept along the road towards him.  
His legs grew shaky, and his hands twitched in fear. He shook his head, backing up slowly. There was no hiding. The one in front gave a loud shriek and Cole knew it was too late. They had found him.  
He swirled, the slippery ground making it easier, and he charged down the street as fast as he could. Behind him he heard many of them slipping on the ground, tripping others in the crowd. He heard the others running, eager to dine on their first meal in possibly weeks. The zombies crawled on each other, dragging themselves to the ground and slamming into each other.  
Cold rain fell against Cole's face, making his naturally wavy hair stick to his forehead, despite how much he tried to keep it out of his eyes. He tucked Rocky within a small pocket hidden within his coat, and gripped the shovel tightly with both hands.  
He gasped, seeing a car up ahead. He could hide in there! Cole nearly slipped as he stopped running and peered inside, only to see a zombie inside, crawling on the glass to get out. Cole sighed in frustration and turned back to the hoard following him. Cars meant civilization, and civilization meant buildings to possibly close himself in.  
Hours seemed to pass as he charged through the forest, forgetting about the road and hoping the trees would slow the corpses down. He made sure he could always see the road to his left, and used it as a guide.  
He looked ahead, a smile creeping on his face as he saw a town ahead. It was a large city, one that Cole's father had only talked about briefly, yet proudly. A location in which the theater was held, along with most businesses and buildings.  
Cole was heading towards Ninjago City.


	7. Armor and Weapons

The sun beat down heavily on the desert, drying up whatever water remained from the rainfall from the night before. Whatever animals remained had taken refuge within the dirt ground, hiding away from the harmful rays. The only creatures that seemed to be outside were the humanoids and the young adult who they were chasing.

Jay looked behind him, seeing the horde as it came closer to him. He needed to get to shelter… the zombies didn't feel the heat, but he sure did. Almost as if on cue, he looked ahead and saw his shelter. An old junkyard out in the middle of nowhere. He could loose them there, if he was lucky. He might even be able to fashion himself a weapon of some sort.  
He rushed towards the gates, finding them to be closed. Luckily the ground was sand, and he quickly dug his way underneath. The zombies weren't as smart as him, and banged against the gates, trying to break in. And judging by the rusted lock, it wouldn't take them too long.  
Jay rushed to the nearest pile, finding a piece of pipe that was just a little longer than a foot and faintly rusted. His mind started racing, so many ideas. He could make a lot of things with a pipe… with the right ingredients he could make some sort of gun or… a sword-like weapon. Maybe he could even duel wield pipes like the heroes wielded swords in the comics he used to read.  
He began to look for another, stumbling over a pile of clips on his way to the next junk pile. They looked like… oh what did his father call them… well, whatever they were, they were strong if they were what actors or mountain climbers used to hook up their harnesses. He knelt down and stuffed as many as he could into his pockets.  
A loud clank filled the air, and Jay turned to see the gate wide open, the zombies rushing through. A pipe off to the side caught Jay's attention, and he moved fast as lightning, grabbing it and pulling it, trying to pry it from the pile. The zombies grew closer, and he pulled harder, eventually hearing a loud screech of metal. He fell backwards, the pipe in his hand as the pile of car parts and other heavy pieces began to teeter. With a really loud crash, it fell on the corpses. Jay cheered, waving the two pipes in the air like a child. Now all he had to do was make a few weapons to keep close.  
He studied the clips, hooking as many as he would onto each of his belt loops on his jeans. He'd just have to find a working drill and whatever metal pieces he could find and he'd have weapons on him. He spent the rest of the day gathering countless pipes and drills, metal sheets and saws. He found a few tires and took them, rolling them along the ground until they landed next to the pile.  
He started off his work by using the drill, making small holes in flexible sheets of silver-colored metal, cutting up the tire and strapping it onto his arms, attaching the straps together by using duck tape. He did the same with his shoulders, making holes and strapping on three plates. He took a few more sheets, making plates that wrapped around his lower legs and used the rest to cover the left side of his upper body.  
He then started on the weapons.  
Using a sander, he shaved down a few pipes until they were pointed like spears. He took a few heavy sheets and made them into a sword cut, making a hole with the drill and attaching them to the clips at his belt. Sure the metal attachments would be heavy, but they were extra protection. He made countless weapons. Daggers, swords, spears, and he even made a weapon that his favorite comic character used all the time. He had taken about ten of the clips and attached them to the pipes and hooked them together. They were kept safely close, hooked onto the armor on his back. He tied the remaining hoses and tire strips around his chest like a sash.  
Jay felt ready to take on the world. He had armor and weapons; something that most people nowadays would kill survivors for.  
He left the junkyard, taking out a piece of paper from his pocket and using the oil on his hands to make a small X above the circle on the small sheet. It was a map, telling him where to go if he needed more tools. He looked above the small X he had just added. A star was on the sheet, written in green pen. That was where his parents were taking him. And that's where he was going now. Shelter, safety… and hopefully survivors that could help him, help find a cure to the disease that infected the land.  
Jay wasn't into anatomy; he wouldn't be good at creating a new cure. But, he would be a good machine maker, and be able to keep electricity running long enough for them to create one. He would find some way to help.  
He took a deep breath and gathered his belongings. It was going to be a long trip and he'd have to learn to live off of lizards for a while if he was going to make it there alive. He then took his first step towards the big city.

**I kind of want them to look like the Ninja in the show, so why not give them some homemade armor and weapons? :D**

**So, normally I'd say when I'd upload the next chapter, but I'm not really sure this time. So~ How about this, I'll ask something instead!**

**Would you guys and gals like me to type some Nya chapters too? I only ask because Nya-only chapters will probably be rather short... But it's your choice. Nya-only chapters or not. *shrug***


	8. Out of Gas

**So…**

**I slowly (over the course of time since the last chapter) weaved this out between my Hybrid AU fic, my drawing commissions on DA, the comic I'm releasing soon, and the concert I was just in.**

**.**

**The main reason I worked on this and not anything else is because this would be short compared to everything else so it would be done the fastest.**

**.**

The sun beat down on Kai's back as he sped through the sand, kicking up a large cloud as he flew towards his only hope of salvation. The bag hooked up to his handlebars bumped against his arm, reminding him that he was dangerously low on water and food. He'd have to find some way to manage until he got to his destination.

A small smirk grew as his tires suddenly hit pavement. He was out of the desert and into the badlands now. A straight shot towards the city. Perfect. With a laugh he pulled his vehicle up into a wheelie, the smirk on his face growing. He was so close now.

Kai remembered what his parents had once said when he was little. "The City" as they called it, was full of great materials and food. If one were to get there they'd have a paradise life. Kai sought that for Nya and him, but for now Kai would drive in, restock, and then find his sister.

Over the past few days Kai had kept his radio on, and heard the occasional sounds of code. If only he had studied it a little more, he would have been able to know what the person on the other end was saying. Nya knew it by heart, and it was one of the things that she was proud of.

Once again, the small tap sounds came through the air, and Kai turned up the volume on his radio, only the sounds didn't get louder. Kai's fears came true as the bike started to slow down.

_No! No, I'm so close! _He though to himself, banging his hand on the handlebars. "Start you stupid bike!" The bike only came to a stop in response. "Gee, thanks… You no good…" Kai mumbled a curse, jumping off of the bike and letting it fall to the ground. He knew it was too good to be true that he'd have a straight shot to the city.

He stuck a large knife into the bag and swung it onto his back before he began walking in the heat, stepping off of the dark grey pavement and walked in the clay-like ground to the side. With a sigh he removed his helmet, letting his spiked hair fall into its normal fashion. He held the helmet close to his side, and used his other hand to wipe the seat from his eyes, as the temperature seemed to heat up. Kai didn't care much for the heat- it never did bother him that much- but he was human and sweat like one.

After walking for what seemed like an hour Kai began to see things… up ahead there was a house, clearly left untouched by anyone. If only it were real… he could hopefully find gasoline… oh but he could only dream of it… right?

Kai broke into a sprint as he rushed to the house. He panted as he reached out, and sure enough his hand met solid wood. A smile grew on his face and he rushed to the front door, breaking the window and unlocking it from the inside. The house was small- no doubt in that. Luckily, it was simply made and it was easy to find the kitchen where all the food was.

_They must have been in a hurry… or they were infected._ He thought, taking the knife from the backpack and holding it between his teeth. With a rushed fashion he managed to grab all the food he could stuff into the bag, and stuffed a few water bottles into the front pouch. _I just need to be lucky one more time. Just give me some gasoline and I'll be happy. _

He left the house and turned to the backyard, spotting a shed. Surely there would be gasoline in there… He set his bag down and pulled his helmet on. He twirled the knife a few times in his hand before jabbing it into the rusty lock. Once it was undone Kai pulled open the door.

It seemed silent, but Kai couldn't see. There was no good light in the shed, since it had been covered with a few tarps. Kai took a cautious step forward and let his eyes adjust. He could see all the supplies, but what really caught his eye was the container on the nearest shelf. No doubt it was a gas tank.

Kai reached for it, and something suddenly grabbed his arm. Kai gave a loud scream in shock and pulled away, the container in his hand. A zombie stumbled out and fell onto the ground in front of Kai, and he stared at it in shock. One sniff and Kai raised a hand to his face, plugging his nose. The stench was horrible- a mix of rotting and burnt flesh.

Kai took his hand away and gripped the knife, raising it to stab the corps's head. Just before he could bring it down he heard something. A low groan.

Kai took a few steps away from the zombie on the ground and stared at the shed. One, two… three zombies walked out. Kai swallowed, his eyes widening. The one who had grabbed him was a grown woman, and there stood in front of him was a grown man, one teen boy, and one little girl… It was a family. Much like his used to be.

Kai looked to the mother and stepped away, gripping the gas container tighter. He whirled around and rushed to the front of the house, grabbing the bag and throwing it over his shoulder. He placed the blade in between his teeth and he raced down the road towards his bike, the zombies scrambling towards him.

Kai dropped everything and opened the container, pouring the fluid inside. The zombies grew closer and Kai climbed onto his bike, hooking the backpack to the bars and shoving the knife in his bag. He quickly turned the key, and the vehicle started. With a loud laugh of victory, Kai shot forward, turning to avoid the family before driving straight. Luck had helped him, and he was thankful. A smirk grew on his face.

It was just a straight shot to the city now.

.

**Before I end the story here, I want to ask something….**

**Do you think ships would ruin the story if I put them in?**

**I also won't do anything that deal with 2015 characters (such as Skylor or Neuro). Only because America hasn't actually aired the shows yet, and I want people to avoid spoilers.**

*coughs*Andthey'regoingtobeinthesequel*coughs* **What? I didn't say anything.**


	9. Intersection Meeting

_**Kind of a time-skip to where they're all in Ninjago City now.**_

**.**

I tried my best to navigate the city. It was so large, and there were so many turns. The piles of cars didn't help me either, forcing me to climb over them or risk turning back and going a different way. The horde of zombies behind me didn't help at all.

I could see it wherever I went though, my main goal, the place I wanted to go to. The large tower at the center of the city— Borg Industries. There was lots of talk about how the tower had self-defenses and seemingly unlimited amounts of food and water. No doubt it was paradise in the apocalypse.

I reached a four-way and skid to a stop, panting heavily and holding the shovel over his shoulder. "Hey!" A voice called, and I nearly dropped his shovel. I turned quickly to my left and saw a sight that was so very rare nowadays. A living human.

I raised my shovel high and swung it in the air, "I'm here! Hey!"

The boy looked rather skinny, but was clearly prepared to fight. He wore homemade armor and have lots of spears made from pipes on his belt. He had brunet hair and emerald eyes.

"I can't believe— I mean— I found another _living_ human!" The teen exclaimed, swinging his pipe-spear around. "I never thought I would again and—!"

"Yeah, yeah, good to see you too, but I think we have a problem." I interrupted, pointing towards the horde that was following me.

"You aren't the only one who attracted a crowd…" the boy replied, pointing towards a horde that was coming form the direction that he came from.

"Perfect…" I mumbled. _What now?_

Suddenly there was a loud explosion, forcing us to cover their ears and close our eyes as a pile of cars to their right blew up into the sky. We stared in amazement as another living person rushed into their view from the smoke. The teen stopped and stared at us.

This male looked really tall, but really skinny. He wore a snow camouflage military uniform with a dark grey vest and boots. He wore a ski mask under his hood for protection. He pulled away his mask, revealing his icy-blue eyes and his blonde hair.

"You are survivors!" He exclaimed, rushing to us. I noticed the three grenades hooked to his vest and the sniper rifle strapped to his back. He had a pistol holstered on his leg. "I've looked everywhere for any survivors!"

"Yeah, yeah, we're alive. But we've got bigger news for right now." I replied, pointing to the two hordes that were closing in on us.

"Well you might as well point the way I came from too," the boy added, looking towards the clearing smoke to see the group heading towards us. "Come on, the only way we can go is this way!" The blonde ran to the last turn and stopped.

The sound of a motorcycle filled the air, and seconds later the three saw a red and gold motorcycle speeding towards them. The rider put the brakes on, and skid to a stop inches away from the blonde.

"So, you've all survived too, huh?" The cyclist simply said, getting off of his bike and grabbing his bag. "Hate to break this to you, but we're trapped. I have a horde following me too. And these guys are fast."

"Oh great! Now what? We cant's exactly just barrel through anywhere! And they're could be hundreds in each horde!" The brunette panicked, pulling at his hair.

"Wait!" The blonde one called, walking over to the center of the crossway. "Look, if we can get into here we can escape them."

I studied it and gave a small nod, "It shouldn't be too hard to crack." I said, jabbing the very tip of my broken shovel into the side. With a loud huff I pushed on it, and the grate popped off. "Alright, everyone in!"

The cyclist was the first in, leaping down without a second thought. The brunette tried to go next, but he kept getting caught.

"You must lose some of your armor and weapons. They will not fit."

The brunette sighed in annoyance and nodded, quickly untying his armor and dropping it noisily. Stealth wasn't exactly priority right now anyway. Once the last piece of armor was removed the brunette jumped through, making sure to bring a few pipes with him, which he tucked into his shirt and onto his back.

The blonde and I reached over and grabbed the grate, and after I threw my shovel inside we worked together to drag it carefully over the hole before climbing down. Seconds later the zombies were there, scratching at the concrete to try and reach us.

"There… I think we're safe," the brunette sighed. We all suddenly jumped as a loud blast filled out ears. We looked over to the blonde who had his pistol pointed towards the blue-wearing teen.

"Never assume you are safe," the military-uniformed teen said, walking past the brunette and turning a zombie over to lie on his back. "It may just get you killed."

"Well… what now?" I asked, looking from the corpse to the others. The blonde and brunette looked to each other, thinking.

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm getting out of here," the cyclist replied, looking away and towards a nearby tunnel. With a small flick of his hand, he walked away.

"I think it is best if we stick together- if not during this journey then through the sewers. It would not be wise to go on alone," the blonde spoke, looking to me.

I nodded, "right. I'm Cole Brookstone."

The brunette seemed to smirk lightly and put a hand proudly on his chest, "I'm Jay Walker."

"And I am Zane Julien," the blond said, giving a small nod towards us. He thought for a moment before sighing, "I suppose it would be in our best interest to find the other who was with us. He may be useful while we travel."

"If you say so," Jay said, shifting a pipe from his shirt and staring at it and sighing. "It's not fair… Zane has firearms and you have a shovel… I have a pipe."

"Oh give that here," I sighed, taking the pipe from him. I slammed it into the wall and looked at it, slamming it a few more times before nodding. "Here, it's sharper, like a spear. Happy?"

"Well… it'll get through their heads faster… I guess."

"You will get a better weapon later," Zane said, drawing his pistol from its holster. "But for now we must get out of this sewer."

"Right. Lead the way," Jay replied, looking to Zane. The military-garbed teen nodded in response and began walking through the tunnels, the flashlight attached to his pistol giving him light.

"It reeks in here…" Jay complained, taking a hand away from his spear and covering his nose.

"What did you expect? We're in a sewer. And I hate to say it, but that's not exactly mud we're walking through," I responded, holding my shovel over my shoulder, plugging my nose with my other hand. I looked to Zane, who held onto his pistol with both hands. "Why doesn't the smell bother you?"

Zane paused for a second, but only for a second before continuing, "I have good training," was all that he said. Jay and I exchanged glances for a moment before we bumped into the blonde.

"Hey, why aren't we moving?" Jay asked, a small frown growing on his face.

Zane looked back to him and back to the tunnel. He quickly holstered his pistol and took the sniper rifle from his back, holding it up and turning on the light. A small horde of zombies, maybe about 50 of them, was gathered in a large room-like chamber.

"We should turn back and—."

That was all Zane got out before a loud battle cry filled the air. We all turned in shock to see the cyclist charging into the room, an old antique sword in his hands. He met with the first zombie no problem, slashing out and keeping himself a safe-ish distance.

"Come on! We have to help him!" I shouted, rushing into the room. Jay and Zane must have followed me, because I heard the blast of a pistol and the sound of the metal pipe meeting decaying flesh.

"Need some help?" I wondered as I found my way next to the cyclist in red.

"I'm just fine without you guys," he snapped, slicing another corpse.

"There's nothing wrong with a little backup," I replied, swinging my shovel and killing another zombie.

.

The numbers started going down, and slowly the zombies became easier to take care of. Kai had the last kill, thrusting his sword at one and finishing off with a secondary stab.

"You fight well for a cyclist," Zane commented, looking to the helmeted stranger. He holstered his pistol. "Who are you?"

The stranger thought for a moment before sighing. He lifted his gloved hands and removed his dragon-designed helmet. He had dark brown- almost a dark rusted- color to his hair, and his amber eyes seem to have a small spark of flame in them. He wore a tight leather top- better for fighting close range- and semi-tight leather pants. His combat boots came up to his knees. "I'm Kai Smith."

"Wait… Kai Smith?" Zane wondered, taking a step towards him. "Was your father Richard Smith? The… mayor of Ignacia?"

Kai thought for a moment before nodding. "Yeah. Why?"

"My… parents talked about him… They knew him… very well…" Zane replied rather hesitantly. He paused and thought for a moment, "But where's your sister? My parents… said that Richard had two children."

"She's… somewhere. It's none of your business where my sister is."

"You are looking for her… aren't you?" Zane asked.

"I said it wasn't your business." Kai snapped, glaring at Zane.

"My apologies, I was merely asking a question," the military-garbed teen said, raising his hands defensively.

"Look, if you don't want to tell us about your sister, fine. It's not important right now. What _is_ important is that we get out of these sewers." I spoke, putting my shovel's blade onto the ground and leaning on the handle. "Are you joining us, or not?"

"I said it before. I don't need help." Kai responded, heading towards a nearby tunnel.

"Kai, it is unwise to go on alone! Please, join with us. As soon as we leave the sewers you can leave. We won't make you stay any longer than that." Zane called, rushing over to the cyclist.

"Heh, yeah right. Just get away from me, I have to find my sister."

Zane seemed to shift before calling out, "I can find her."

Kai whirled around to look at Zane. "What do you mean you can find her?"

"I have a… tool I can use. It may take a month or two, maybe even a season, but I will be able to find her. You only need to come with us out of the sewers and I can help you find your sister."

Kai seems to shift, thinking for a moment. "Fine. Just help me find her."

"I will. You have my word."

Kai sighed, "Fine then. Who are all of you?"

"I am Zane Julien," Zane replied, nodding his head slightly.

"I'm Jay Walker."

"And I'm Cole Brookstone," I finished.

"Good, nice introductions. Can we go now?" Kai said, waving his hand to us. Zane, Jay, and I exchanged glances as Kai sped ahead of us.

"He needs to slow down. It's amazing that he's lasted this long if he's constantly rushing into things," Jay whispered.

"Agreed," Zane whispered back. "Though, he may just seem eager to find his sister."

"Maybe…" I mumbled. "But even if he can fight well, we can't risk being too comfortable with our surroundings. If he gets into a big fight, we should stay out of it." The two looked to each other before nodding in agreement.

"It would be wise not to," Zane said, pulling a combat dagger from his vest.

We rushed after Kai, following the echoes of his footsteps and the shadow casted on the wall. There was the occasional jump-scare zombie, but we made quick work of them with our weapons. It didn't take long for us to catch up to Kai.

We continued onward, rushing through tunnels and crawling through pipes before suddenly Kai stopped, making us slam into each other.

"We're here," he announced, sprinting off again and climbing up a nearby ladder.

Zane and Jay smiled to each other before rushing towards the light at the top of the ladder. I gave a loud laugh before following them up. We came out just at the edge of the city, on one of the many roads that wrapped around it.

"Great! We're out. Now find my sister," Kai demanded, looking to Zane and pointing at him.

"It's more complicated than just clicking a button, Kai. I cannot instantly find Nya- I told you that ear-."

"I never told you Nya's name," Kai frowned. "How do you know her? Have you seen her?"

Zane hesitated, "I have not met her… in person. I saw a picture of her and was told who she was."

"Who told you?"

"Look, you can interrogate Zane once we get away from the city. We're still in danger of being detected by the hordes in there." I announced, looking around.

"We can travel north," Zane suggested, taking out a compass and turning to his left. "The land is cold, and it will not hold many enemies."

"But I don't like the cold," Jay whined.

"Then don't come with us," Kai snapped. "I'm only tagging along because I want to know how you know my sister and where she is." He glared at Zane.

"Fine, I'll go… but only because finding people in this world is very rare and I need someone to talk to." Jay decided.

"And I'll follow because there should be some survivors in the land. And without me you guys would be goners," I called.

"Very well then. Let us put all of our skills to use and travel. I have military training and first aid training. Cole, I assume, has survival skills and knows how to hunt and get water. Jay, from the looks of you, you know how to craft and create. And Kai… you are a skilled fighter and defender. Together we can- and will- find your sister and the cure to all of this."

"Wait. You said a cure? Do you know what it is?" Jay asked.

Zane hesitated, "I… have an idea as to what it is."

"What is it? How hard is it to get-."

"Look, if you can't hear them the horde is starting to detect our smell. We can talk on the way to the Icelands." I interrupted, walking towards the direction Zane had faced earlier.

"Fine, but I want answers," Kai mumbled.

"Same," Jay agreed.

"We can answer them once we begin moving," Zane replied, looking towards them. "After all, talking would only make us slower for now. And we must distance ourselves from the city."

I nodded, "Right. Let's go."

.

**I didn't put in as much action as I wanted to… It was as long as I predicted it would be though.**

**The next chapter is maybe… a quarter of a way done? Maybe half? Either way, it's DEFINITELY the longest chapter I've ever written and my favorite so far.**

**The chapter's got 9,037 words done so far.**

**That's more than what Chasm of Nightmares had ALL TOGETHER.**


	10. Zane's Backstory

**Authors note:**

**Can I just say… 16,112. 16,112 words. Not including the Authors Note.**

**This chapter **_**alone**_** is longer than Crash Landing as a WHOLE. Like, wow.**

**It's so long that I couldn't even post it on DA. Everyone is forced to read it on Wattpad or Fanfiction.**

**.**

The fire crackled in the middle of the four boys, and it seemed like their only source of light in the dark night. The embers reflecting in Zane's eyes as he stared at it mindlessly. Jay and Kai stared at the blonde, a frown of annoyance growing on the bicyclists face. Cole had removed his coat and laid it on the ground next to him, sitting rather close to the fire.

"Well?" Kai snapped, holding his hand out next to the fire. "What's the big deal? How do you know my sister? You said you'd tell me after we finished setting up camp."

"And I'm wondering where you got the military armor and guns," Jay added.

Zane sighed and looked to the two boys. "It is a long story…"

"We have all night," Kai replied, crossing his arms.

"I suppose that's true…. And if we are going to travel together we should know more about each other. We need to know who we can and can't trust." Zane shifted a little farther from the fire, trying to disappear from their sight, and sighed. "Besides, I must fulfill a promise I made to Kai's father."

"You knew my father?" Kai asked, his eyes growing wide. "You were a miner?"

"He couldn't have been. I worked in the mines and I've never seen anyone who looks like Zane or Kai. Your father couldn't have been a miner, Kai." Cole spoke.

"I wasn't a miner… I was a soldier…. And he was too." Zane spoke softly.

"He was what?" Kai exclaimed.

"That would explain the outfit," Jay commented.

"But how did you meet Kai's father? He was a soldier too?" Cole wondered.

"And why did he lie to Nya and I about being one?" Kai asked.

"Please, allow me to tell you the full story… It will be easier than answering all your questions."

.

(**9 years before the present)**

The first thing that he remembered was waking up in a hospital.

He had no idea who he was, why he was there, or where he came from. Nobody knew him, not even the man that had brought him in. The man claimed that he was taking his wife to the hospital when he had saw the unconscious teen on the side of the road. The doctors made it seem like the boy had been there a day or two. "It's a miracle he's alive," and "what happened? How did he survive?" they constantly said.

All the boy claimed to remember was his basic information; his name and age. He tried his best to describe what he was feeling, and what he said only puzzled the doctors even more. They occasionally looked at each other like they knew something secret. The boy thought he heard one of the doctors say something about another one like him being in the hospital.

But the boy knew the name of the man who had brought him in. One of the nurses told him, and suggested that once the boy was able to move around that he should find the waiting man and thank him. The boy, though lost his thoughts and quite possibly his home, seemed to place manners before any of his worries, and assured the nurse that he would.

.

Eventually the day came, and the doctors said that the teen was healthy enough to move around on his own. He was excited to finally be able to wonder his location, but he was even more excited to meet the man who had saved his life.

He stood out in the waiting room for a moment, looking around before he spotted someone slouched in a chair, worry full on his face. The man had brown hair that was combed back, but a few follicles were in his face. He had circular glasses that he pushed back on his nose. Just like what the nurse had said he looked like.

The boy felt himself smile at the man, and slowly made his way over to him. "Um… hello," came the boy's soft voice. "You… you are the one who brought me here… right?"

The man looked from his hands and into the pale-blue eyes of a eleven year old. The boy—not much of a boy by his appearance and height— looked rather skinny, and had small scrapes on his head and arms, probably from when he had tripped on the ground before he blacked out. He wore new clothes, ones that the hospital must have given him, a simple pair of blue jeans and a white t-shirt. He had blonde hair that seemed tidy, yet sprawled in a way so that it sort of stood up.

The man nodded slightly, "I suppose I am."

"You saved my life," the teen said under his breath as he sat next to the man. "…Thank you."

The man smiled lightly, something he hadn't done in nearly two days. He raised a hand and shifted his glasses into a more comfortable place on his nose, "I couldn't exactly leave a young man on the road. Even if I was in a hurry…"

"Why were you in a hurry? If you don't mind me asking…."

"Well… these past few days she's been… ill. I don't know what's wrong with her…."

"What do you mean by ill? Does he have a horrible case of the flu?"

"No, no… something worse. She started smelling a little like decay… and wore a lot of perfume to cover it. She claimed to feel numb… and occasionally felt sharp pains in her head."

The boy looked to his hands then back to the man. "It sounds like what I have," he said quietly, causing the man to look at him. "The doctors sprayed me with something to get rid of the smell… the pains in my head are gone but I don't really feel anything in my fingers or toes. It feels like they're… just there."

The man frowned slightly as though he were thinking. Could this boy have the same thing his wife did? If that was the case, did that mean his wife would survive whatever was wrong with her like this boy did?

The boy shifted slightly, almost like he was in an uncomfortable position, before standing up. "I should probably go… the doctors said I shouldn't be out of my room for too long. The spray wears off quickly, and I don't want to worry anyone with the smell…"

The man nodded slightly, still thinking. A hand was suddenly put in front of him and he was jolted from his thoughts. The boy was holding a hand out to him, waiting to shake it. The man took it.

"I don't entirely remember who I am… or was… but I do know that my name is Zane," the boy said, smiling lightly and shaking the man's hand.

"Zane…" The man said back. He smiled lightly to the boy, "You can call me Julien."

.

"Excuse me, sir?"

Julien slowly opened his eyes, seeing that a nurse was standing over him. He sat up, stretched lightly and gave a small yawn, "Yes…?"

"Mr. Julien, it's about your wife…"

"What's wrong with her?" Came a soft voice.

Julien turned, startled to see Zane sitting next to him. The teen looked wide-awake, almost like he was waiting for Julien to wake up. He did seem very polite…

The nurse looked over to Zane then back to Julien. "It's with great regret that I tell you that… your wife did not survive the treatments we gave her," Julien froze, seemingly wide awake now, and stared up at the nurse. "I truly am sorry."

Zane looked at Julien, shifting a little closer to him. He thought for a moment, trying to decide if he should comfort the man or not. It was when he heard the first sob that he slowly pat his back.

"It'll be okay, Julien." He said softly, rubbing the man's back. When the pats didn't seem to help, Zane pulled the man into a warm hug.

Julien was a little shocked, but the pain of loss outweighed the surprising hug. He instead laid his chin on the boy's head and cried freely, holding onto Zane as though the boy was his own son.

They stayed like that for the next hour, hugging each other for comfort. Eventually, a doctor came up to them and took Zane back to his room, leaving the lonely Julien to be alone in the waiting room.

.

Zane didn't come to see him the day after that, and Julien began to worry for the young lad. What if Zane really did have the disease that killed his wife? Was fate going to be so cruel as to kill the lost child? Julien sat in the waiting room, thinking all day. He finally made a decision.

If Zane survived, then he would take the boy in as his son.

.

The next day seemed to go on slowly. Few people stopped in at the hospital, and even fewer doctors seemed to be there. The hours passed, and Julien waited, and waited, and waited. Soon, the sun had set, and darkness had fallen outside. Julien still remained in his seat, eventually leaning back and closing his eyes.

.

He had gotten at least on hour of sleep before something woke him. It was a small poke to his shoulder, but it was enough. He opened his brown eyes and looked up, expecting a nurse or doctor to have awoken him, but there was nobody there. He heard a small chuckle, and he froze slightly. To his left was Zane, healthy and happy as can be.

"Z-Zane?" Julien half mumbled, still tired.

The teen smiled and nodded, chuckling lightly at the man's expression. "Yeah, it's me," was all he said.

Julien stayed still for a few moments, looking over the teen once before smiling brightly and pulling him a little closer, hugging him tightly. "You're okay," he whispered into the boy's hair.

"Of course I am."

"Why… didn't you come and see me yesterday? I was so worried that you had…" Julien didn't finish his sentence and fell silent.

Zane shook his head, pulling away slightly to look at Julien's eyes. "I wasn't that ill. The doctors were doing tests on me to see if I was cured. They didn't even have to spray anything on me today," he chuckled lightly, "All natural smell. I'm not as hungry as I was, either. I have all the feeling in my limbs back, and the pains in my head are gone. But…"

"But what…?"

Zane's face fell, "I still don't remember who I am… or where I come from…"

It was silent for a while, a mix of Zane's sorrow and Julien's lack of confidence to ask the boy if he wanted a new father. Eventually, after what seemed like forever, Julien found the courage.

"Zane… would you… like to be my son…?" He asked, somewhat hesitantly.

Again, silence, and Julien cursed in his head. He had just met the boy, why would Zane want to be his child if they had just met?

A very small snore brought Julien from his thoughts, and he looked to the teen. Zane had fallen asleep in his arms, a small smile plastered on his face. The man felt himself smile a little, and he carefully stood, carrying Zane in his arms.

He walked cautiously, trying to prevent Zane from hitting anything or wake him. Julien made it to the reception desk and signed Zane out as his own son.

.

Zane expected to be in the hospital bed once more, forgotten by Julien and left alone there. But when he turned, thinking a monitor would be there, he was only met by a burst of sunlight flooding through the window. He quickly closed his eyes, raising his hands from the covers to try and rub the stinging pain away. After a few moments of gaining himself, he looked around the room.

It was rather dull; the walls painted a plain old white color and the sheets a pale blue, almost matching his eyes. There was a small nightstand near his bed, and a desk at the wall across from the door, but other than that it seemed empty.

Zane slid off of the bed and walked over to the blue doors, sliding them open to see a closet. A button-down shirt and brown jeans were in there, and they seemed to be able to fit him. After a few moments of thought he took them and closed the doors, looking around and spotting another on the other end of the room.

The bathroom was almost as plain as the bedroom. The walls were white tiles, and the floor was made of blue ones. The basic necessities were there, a toilet, a half-shower-half-bath, and a sink with a medicine cabinet.

The teen changed, washed his face with plain water, and picked his teeth. It was the best he could do, since there was no soap or toothbrush in there. He walked back into the bedroom and made the bed, folded his old clothes, and placed them on the blankets.

He ventured out of the room, walking down a long hallway with hardwood floors and grey walls. It was a large house, and he eventually found the stairs that led to the ground floor. He walked around some more, learning the layout and the rooms within the house.

He turned the corner to leave the living room when he found another door. He tried to open it, only to find it locked. Maybe it was just a supply closet or something. It was odd though, since every other door seemed to be unlocked.

After a few more minutes of walking around Zane found the kitchen. It was large, like the rest of the rooms, and had the same white paint as everything else. After some searching, Zane found what he was looking for, and took out something to cook for breakfast.

.

He had just turned off the stove when he heard a clicking sound, followed by the sound of a door creaking open. He looked to the entrance to the kitchen and saw somebody walk in, a welding mask over their face, and a lab coat stained with oil and grease. An oil-covered hand rose up and pulled the dirty mask off, revealing a clean-faced man with brown hair.

"Julien?" The teen asked, eyes wide with shock. He should have known that this was Julien's house. Who else would have brought him to their house?

"You're awake," was all the dust-covered man said, squinting at the boy until he reached into his pocket, pulling his glasses out. He put them on his face and shifted them until they were comfortable.

Zane nodded and looked to the pan, turned on the stove, then looked then back to Julien, "I could make you breakfast if you want me to."

"No, no, it's fine. You don't have to."

"It's the least I could do. You did give me a warm place to sleep without the constant beeping of a heart monitor, after all."

Julien stood there for a few moments before nodding slightly. "If you insist. I have to wash up though…"

"It should be ready by the time you are done," Zane smiled.

.

Zane had started eating his food when he heard the man walk down the stairs. Julien turned the corner and looked at the table in shock. There was a plate stacked with toast, and two plates filled with eggs, one for sunny-side-up eggs and the other for over-medium. A pitcher of orange juice in was between them.

"My, you didn't have to make all of this," he gasped. "This is a buffet fit for a king!"

"I did not know how you liked your eggs, so I made one batch runny and the other not. I tried not to use all your food, but at the same time I wanted to make sure that you were satisfied," Zane informed before taking another bite of yoke-soaked toast.

Julien sat down at the table, still glazing over the food before smiling and chuckling. "Thank you," was all he said before he took a few pieces of toast.

Julien gathered his breakfast and poured his drink before he sat down. He glanced to Zane who stayed silent, quietly chomping away at his food. With a small smile, Julien dipped his bread in some yoke and took a small bite.

"Zane," Julien said as soon as he swallowed, "this is amazing."

Zane smiled lightly, "Why, thank you. I'm glad you like it."

Julien took another bite, much larger than the last one, and gave a small 'mmm'. Zane chuckled and took a drink.

"Perhaps you could make dinner too?" Julien asked.

Zane choked on his juice, spitting it back into the glass and erupted into a coughing fit. "Wh-what?" he struggled between coughs.

Julien realized his mistake, "I-I mean, if you'd like to stay. I mean- Erm…" He paused and watched Zane beat his chest with his fist. "Are you okay…?"

Zane nodded slightly, giving one last cough before panting lightly. "I'm fine… I just… wasn't expecting to hear that."

For a few moments there was nothing but silence, and the two seemed to avoid looking at each other.

"Does… does that mean that you don't want to stay…?" Julien wondered, speaking quietly and glancing up to the teen. Zane looked over to the man and blinked slowly.

"Are… you asking me if… you would like to… be my father…?" He asked slowly, and Julien nodded in response. Zane looked down for a moment before smiling lightly. "I… would be honored to be your son."

Julien blinked a few times, surprised by the answer. "You… you would?"

Zane smiled and nodded. "Of course," he looked up to Julien's eyes and chuckled lightly. "Why would I ever say no?"

.

After finishing their meal, talking about all that they would need to start their new father-son-relationship, they decided to finish their discussion in the living room. They both sat at the couch, smiling and talking about things that they'd need and what they could do.

"Of course, we need to get you some clothes, and your basic necessities for your room," Julien said.

Zane nodded, "but I do not wish to take more than I absolutely need. I would feel bad if I were to use all of your money."

"Oh don't worry about that. I've got more than you think, Zane. I am an engineer, after all," Julien assured.

"If you are certain…" Zane replied slowly.

"Well then, we should go soon. The store does close in an hour of so. Come on, let's go."

.

"You said you were an engineer?" Zane asked on the drive over, looking from the window to his new father.

"Of a kind. I'm more of a tinkerer and inventor," Julien replied, shrugging lightly.

"An inventor? What have you created?"

"Mostly small things that lay around the house and get used occasionally. I created a cleaning bot to help with the house. I'd never be able to clean that huge place on my own, after all!" The man chuckled.

"So you create robots?"

Julien nodded. "Yes. I'm working on something now, but I'm having a little trouble with it… I just can't seem to find a power source strong enough for it."

"And what is this invention?"

"I'll show you once we get back. Is that okay?" Julien asked, smiling and looking to his new son.

"That'd be perfect," Zane smiled back and nodded slightly.

.

The trip home was fine, and consisted of the two talking about robotics and different possibilities for the power source.

"Perhaps you could modify multiple batteries and plant some sort of charger in the invention," Zane suggested.

"I've tried that before," Julien replied, shaking his head.

"Oh… well you could… Hm…" Zane frowned slightly, out of ideas.

"You know, you seem to hold a certain interest in robotics, not to mention you seem to hold a great deal of knowledge for them," Julien said, glancing to Zane then back to the road. "Did you go to a school for it?"

"I… don't remember…. All I know is that I have this knowledge… and it's like it's burned into my head," Zane replied, shrugging.

Julien nodded slightly and sighed. "I was hoping that if you had remembered perhaps you could see some friends or family… and it may restart your memory. But alas… you're wiped clean like someone just went and deleted everything… Sorry."

"It's okay," Zane said lowly before smiling lightly. "Besides, if I did remember, I wouldn't have you as a father."

Julien smiled back at him and nodded. "I suppose that's true."

.

After Zane finished customizing his room he decided to find Julien. With a small smile on his face he ventured through the house, searching for his new father.

"Juli- er… Father!" He called. It'd take a little time before he got used to calling the man his father…

"Oh! Zane! I'm in here! Give me a second." Julien replied from behind the door that had been locked before. A small click came from it, and it swung open.

"Where does this lead to?" Zane asked.

"To my lab. I don't like my guests seeing the mess of oil and grease all over. Come on then! I'll show you my invention!"

Zane made his way down the wooden stairs until he was in the basement. The walls were lined with tiles, as was the floor. There were a whole bunch of gadgets all over the place, and certain monitors that gave an occasional beeping noise. It looked almost like a lab you'd see in a mad scientist movie.

"And here he is," Julien said, tugging Zane until he was at a table.

On it was a falcon, but this one had its chest split open, revealing it to actually be a robot. It was a pure black color, and had bright, sun-colored feet.

"It looks so life-like…" Zane commented, feeling one of the feathers of its wing. "These feel like real feathers… how did you-?"

"That's because they are real feathers, my boy. I simple collected the feathers from shedding falcons and locked them into the robot's wings."

Zane peered a little closer at it, studying the workings and gears inside of it. "I can see why you're struggling to find a power source that will last for it…. It would have to take a lot of energy for it to fly like a normal bird."

Julien sighed and nodded, "Indeed. I was thinking about scraping the project and continuing on simpler things… but I just feel like this bird will be important one day."

"It does give off that feeling… Perhaps together we can find a way to power it," Zane responded.

"Perhaps," Julien nodded.

.

Zane suddenly perked up, eyes wide in realization. "What if… what if it wasn't a battery of sorts?"

Julien looked to his son, confusion on his face. "What are you talking about?"

"Three months we've tried and tried but we never thought about the possibility of… of course! It would work! It was so simple we didn't even think of it!"

Julien frowned lightly. Three months with him and already Zane was beginning to speak gibberish whenever he thought of something scientific. "Pardon?"

"Father, what if we build a structure with wires, like a heart of sorts, and filled it with one of your chemicals? If they're strong enough and thick enough, surly they would be enough to power the falcon! Al we would need is to make gears for the liquid to move, like a water wheel!"

Julien paused for a second before gasping. "You're right! It would be powerful enough! And with the power of the gears turning-!"

"The falcon would have enough energy in him-!"

"To be powered for many years to come!" They finished together, excitement in both of their eyes and voices. Immediately they rushed to the door and ran down the stairs.

.

A small movement in the room caught Zane's eye. At first, he feared it was a rat, but then he saw the single feather fall onto the table.

"It's moving," Zane said, looking up to see the robotic bird they had been working on fluttering around the ceiling. "It worked!"

Julien gave a cheerful laugh as he looked to the falcon, watching it flutter down until it landed on Zane's outstretched arm. It nuzzled the boy's cheek, causing a small laugh to come from him.

"What shall we name him, father?"

"Hm… I don't know. We'll think of something, son."

.

Zane was thirteen now- and had lived with Julien for two years of his life. After a few months of getting to know Zane, Julien enrolled him into a local school. The school had done the normal procedure of giving the teen a tour and such, and then they handed him a test to see how much he knew.

Much to the school's surprise though- he scored perfectly. And on the next test they gave him, and the next one. Finally, with much reluctance, the school handed Zane the last test, and once again, Zane scored perfectly.

The school was the top one for miles and miles. Even though Julien constantly asked Zane, the teen refused to move from the one place he knew as home.

"Just take me to the nearby college," he replied every time. "For all we know I could pass those too!" He would say with a chuckle.

And its just want Julien did.

Zane passed the Freshman test- but he didn't to perfect. After much discussion with the college's top principle, they agreed to take Zane in- as long as he took everything that was required of him. So, Zane took all of the classes he could. He wasn't a stranger to learning, and he certainly loved it.

What he favored the most was reading from textbooks. The teachers would say that he had a photographic memory of everything. He would remember exactly what the teacher put of the board for the class- or he'd remember the exact lines in a book and be able to read them out loud without the actual pages in front of him.

However, although Zane was an A+ student, he did have his disadvantages. Zane was very socially awkward, and didn't have many- if any- friends in his school. How could he when everyone was almost twice his age? It seemed like they talked about things that Zane would only find in a health book, and Zane wasn't interested in the way they were talking. They weren't being very logical about the topics.

Zane didn't understand the rankings either. It seemed like there were groups and semi-groups everywhere. You had your jocks- the ones who play sports. There were the cheerleaders, the nerds, the smart ones, the cool kids, and then there was… him. Left out and rejected.

While it seemed sad to Julien and the teachers, Zane didn't mind at all. He focused on his inventions and didn't pay any attention to the other students when they asked him or an answer or to do their homework.

He just didn't like talking because he never knew what to say. He never understood the jokes or pranks that the others would talk about, and he certainly never felt the same stress or sleep deprivation. It was odd.

But… even though Zane was awkward in his social life, it didn't stop him from doing his work.

.

"Hello," Zane looked up from his seat to the source of the voice.

It came from a girl who seemed only a year younger than him. She had silvery hair, almost as though she were trying to imitate a steel-like color. She had bright green eyes, almost emerald in shading, and wore silver-y lipstick that seemed to shin like silver. She wore an odd purple top, lined with a silvery collar and cuffs, and she had purple converse shoes, and purple jeans.

"May I sit here?" She asked, glancing towards the seat beside him.

"O-Of course," Zane stuttered, looking away from her slightly, trying to fight the heat rushing to his face.

"Thank you," the girl said as she sat next to him. A few moments passed between them before she spoke up again. "I'm Pixal."

"Pixal?"

She nodded. "Ironic name for someone interested in robotics, isn't it? But at the same time, my last name is too. It's Borg."

"Wait, Borg? As in… your father is Cyrus Borg?" Zane asked, and Pixal nodded. "He's my father's and my inspiration! His creations are phenomenal!"

Pixal felt herself blush, "well, he's okay. I do a little bit of inventing myself, but I'm more into fixing things than actually crafting them."

"I mostly like to admire complex handwork than anything. Though I do enjoy creating a great deal."

"So I guess we share the same interest Mr…?"

"Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't introduce myself," Zane said, taking her hand and shaking it lightly, "I'm Zane. Zane Julien."

"Julien? Are you the son of Dr. Julien? The one who created the robotic falcon?"

"Indeed. I helped him with it, actually."

"Amazing! My father's skilled with his studies, but he doesn't even compare to that! Making a life-like replica of the real thing is amazing! Especially when your father had no grant to do anything!"

"Well, he is my father," Zane chuckled.

"Perhaps our fathers could work together on a project sometime," Pixal offered, smiling lightly. "I'm sure they'd like that."

"I'm sure they would. Saturday then?"

Pixal nodded, "I will tell my father. We'll go over to your place."

Zane smiled and nodded, "I shall see you then.

.

"Relax, my boy! They are merely come over to help with some inventing!" Julien spoke loudly, a small chuckle in his voice.

Zane seemed to scramble around to make the house look spotless. He forced his father to wear the cleanest lab coat he had, and the cleanest clothes. Zane himself wore a clean white button down and white jeans.

"But don't you want to make a good first impression? I mean, he is your idol."

"Is this really about me making an impression on Mr. Borg?" Julien asked, and Zane paused for a moment before continuing to dust the counter. "Or is this about his daughter Pixal?"

"Father, not now, please? I still have to-."

A loud ringing sound from the front door interrupted the teen, and he gasped before looking to the clock.

"Is it really that late?" He exclaimed, scrambling towards the cleaning supplies to throw them into a nearby closet. Julien could only chuckle at him as he went to the front door.

"Ah! Dr. Julien! What a pleasure to meet you!" Mr. Borg exclaimed, taking Julien's hand and shaking it friendly. It was a shame that such a brilliant mind had to suffer from a disability though, being unable to walk and stuck to a wheelchair. He was a rather skinny man, and seemed to be a little shaky. He wore a black jacket and pants, and had a white lab coat at his side.

"Pixal! It is good to see you again," Zane spoke, trying to hide his lack of breath. "Come in, my father will show the way to the lab."

Julien nodded, "Indeed. Oh, Zane's been telling me that you and him have a college project to do together?" Julien asked, looking to Pixal, who nodded.

"Yes, we do."

"Well then, why don't you work on it in the living room. Come with me, Mr. Borg. I'll take you to the lab."

Mr. Borg smiled excitedly and nodded, glancing to Pixal who pushed him inside. As they got to the living room Mr. Borg dismissed Pixal, and Julien took the chair.

"Try to avoid making a mess you two," Julien called as he carefully led Mr. Borg down the stairs. Zane glanced to Pixal, who smiled to him.

"So, what should we work on first?" Pixal asked.

"Actually, Pixal… there's something I want to tell you…" Zane said, and noticed her look of confusion. He led her over to the couch and sat her down, sitting next to her. "I… don't know where to begin."

"How about from the beginning?" Pixal suggested.

Zane took a deep breath and let it out. "Right…. Pixal, in school you are a brilliant student. You are second highest in our class, and work very nicely. The first time I saw you, I figured you an average female that simply shared my feelings to building and inventing. But now that a week has passed, and I've gotten to know you better, I feel that… there's something more to you than just average." Zane shook his head slightly and looked away from her, "I guess what I'm really trying to say is that… I…"

"Yes, Zane?"

Zane looked up to her emerald eyes and found himself smiling. "I'm trying to say that… I love you, Pixal. And I was wondering if… you wanted to… go out with me…?"

Pixal's pale face turned a light shade of pink, and she stared at Zane for a moment. Zane tried to tell what her thoughts were but her expression seemed unreadable.

"Zane," she eventually said, "I… I love you too."

.

"Father… are you sure you don't need anything? It would be no trouble at all," Zane softly spoke, looking over to him.

It had been a year since Pixal and Zane had started dating. The two had gotten together and made numerous inventions for their fathers. They were complex things, like a mobile chair for Pixal's father so that he could get around by himself, or a robot that could make any meal for Julien when Zane wasn't home.

Julien looked horrible now. His brown hair was growing white, wrinkles began to grow on his face, and the sickness was plain as it made his face turn pale.

He moved his glasses, now cracked from a past experiment failure, and pushed them onto his nose. "I'm fine, Zane… You don't need to worry about me."

"But… you're clearly ill…"

"Perhaps… but that doesn't mean you have to drop everything and check up on me every ten minutes." He replied, giving a small chuckle.

"I only worry about you, father. You are growing old… and I fear that the time for you to leave me is growing near…" Zane spoke quietly, looking to his balled-up hands. He looked to Julien and sighed, "I'm just not ready for that yet."

"Zane… you are 14 years old, and you've lived with me for 3 years of your life… You should know that loss is inevitable… It can be postponed… but not stopped."

"I… I know, father…"

"I may be ill but I can still fight. Don't worry about me, Zane. Worry about yourself and Pixal," Julien smiled, placing a hand on Zane's shoulder, "You are forcing yourself to grow up to fast, and care for too many people at once. Focus on one person at a time- and make that one person happy and healthy."

"Very well…" Zane sighed.

.

"I heard that they have a cure for anything nowadays," came a voice. Zane stopped walking and looked towards his left, seeing two men standing by a bus stop. "They even have the cure for that new disease that's going around." Zane frowned lightly and thought for a moment. If he could get ahold of that cure… then maybe his father could be cured. Perhaps he could live his life out. After thoroughly thinking it through, he sat on the bench next to the men.

The man that had been talking seemed rather tall, yet also built to fight. He wore a long red overcoat, and had a black umbrella over his head. His hair was a black, and kind of stood up in short, small spikes. His eyes shined brightly, almost like amber that was on fire. He had a beard, but it seemed to have been shaven to form an odd swirling pattern that curled with his face.

The other man had brunette hair and bright emerald eyes. His hair was combed back, almost like Julien's was, and was turning white. Unlike the man next to him, he didn't wear any shady clothing. He wore a simple pair of overalls over a shirt, and work boots.

"Yeah, but I also heard that they're only giving the cure to specific people. Like the ones who are—."

"Well, don't talk about it. You know that nobody would be crazy enough to join. Even with the "cure any disease" cure that they have- nobody would ever want to suffer through the training. Let alone the battles. I would know."

"Excuse me," Zane interrupted. "What location are you talking about?"

"Wha-? Oh. Oh… you're interested in the cure, are ya'? Well, there is a way to get it… but you would have to go into _the_ training place. You have to go into the N. M. and M." The brunette answered.

"N. M. and M.?" Zane frowned.

"The Ninjago Militia and Military. The toughest place around, if you ask me. I went there… and just haven't been the same since." The black-haired man said.

"What do you mean?" Zane asked.

"Well, how about I show you what happened to me," the brunette men said, sliding his coat sleeve up to reveal a fake arm. "I had to have it replaced by a mechanical one after I took a grenade to the side. They paid the bill and sent me home- but I very well could have died."

"They do not have safety protocols?"

"They do, but mistakes happen. Fairy often, to be honest. It's what makes that place so horrible to train at. To tell the truth, I think more people die in training than in the actual wars." The one with amber eyes replied.

Zane shifted uneasily. Sure he would get the cure for his father… but what would happen if something horrible happened to him? His father would be guilt-ridden, and Pixal…. Well, Pixal could take care of herself… right?"

"Where could one try to enter?"

"Are you serious kid? You're like 14 years old. There's no way you'd survive. Do even you have _any_ survival skills?" The one in the trench coat questioned, a frown on his face.

"I can fight, and I know how to get what I need from the land. I can make quick calculations- and make good strategies." Zane answered.

The man gave a sigh, staring at Zane. "You don't seem fit for it… but if you insist," the man gave in, handing Zane a small card. "Go to the factory just outside of the city. That's where they do the training. Give them this card and tell them Richard sent you, okay?"

Zane stared at the card, noting the circle with a tornado in the middle. "Okay. Thank you for your help, Mr. Richard." Zane replied.

"Anytime," the man sighed. "You know… you're rather brave, Mr…?"

"You can call me Zane. Zane Julien."

.

Zane walked down the street. The only thing shining his way was the moon as he walked towards the large factory in the distance.

It was a tall building, with pillars that expelled smoke as bullets and vehicles were being built. A barbwire fence surrounded it, and it seemed like soldiers stood guard every twenty feet.

_This place really wants to keep its secrets… _Zane thought to himself. He stared at each of the soldiers. They didn't seem that much older than him- maybe 2 or 3 years older. They certainly didn't look like they were grown up. _And they take in young men… but I don't see anybody over twenty here…_

Zane finally found the entrance, and felt the guards' eyes glaring at him with suspicion. "Excuse me," He spoke, looking up to one of the soldiers in front of the doors.

"What do you want, kid?"

"I was told to give you this," Zane replied, handing the young man the card that the man had given him a few nights before. The man took it and read it. "I was also told to tell you that Richard sent me."

The soldier looked at his comrades, slight confusion on his face. They looked to each other before sighing and nodding.

"If Richard says it's okay then we should let him in… despite that he's so young…"

"Alright. Listen, kid, I don't know what Richard sees in you to take in a fourteen year old, but if he says you're allowed, you're allowed." The soldier huffed and reached over, slowly opening the metal doors behind him. "Hey, Jack, tell General Smith that a kid is here to see him!" At his voice one of the soldiers near the far gate rushed into the factory.

Zane walked in, his curiosity getting the better of him as he looked around. The yard wasn't that different than he imagined it- plain and simple. Everything advanced would have been inside the factory so that a birds-eye view couldn't see it. All the soldiers seemed to look to him, glaring through his being as though they we waiting for any shift of muscle that would mean attack. He felt his body shift slightly to try and get away from their leers.

"General Smith would like to see you," the soldier from the wall called, rushing back to his position.

The guard leading Zane seemed to hesitate before nodding. "You know… I'll never understand what General Smith sees in you. You're only, what, thirteen?"

"Fourteen," Zane corrected.

"You're fourteen and yet he's considering putting you in the military? I'll never understand the man."

The soldier led Zane through a long hallway and down a few stairwells until they reached a steel door. A small golden tag that looked polished read General R. Smith.

"He's in here. Don't tempt him or anything— he's kind of a hothead," the soldier warned, opening the door.

Zane walked in to see a rather tall man standing at a wall, staring at a picture. Zane paused and his eyes widened as the door closed behind him.

"Mr. Richard?"

Richard turned to look at Zane and gave a small smile, "yes, it's me. I'm surprised you recognized me while I'm in uniform."

"Your hair is what gave it away. Your eyes too." Zane added, and Richard chuckled. "You are a general?"

"I'm many things, Zane," Richard said as he turned back to the painting. "I'm a general- yes. I'm also a blacksmith, a father, and a husband." Richard looked back to Zane then walked to his desk, sitting down in his chair. "Do you see that picture on the wall, Zane?"

"I do," Zane answered, walking further into the room to get a better look.

It was more of a painted portrait than an actual picture, but it was framed and glass lay over it. Richard was in it; one of his arms was wrapped around a young woman with brown hair and bright sapphire eyes. His other arm was holding up a small female child, who seemed to be laughing. The girl had short black hair and wore a red and blue dress. The young boy who stood in front of Richard in the picture stood out to Zane. The boy looked no older than he was- if anything he was younger by a year or two- and he looked a lot like the general. The boy had brown spiked hair and bright amber eyes. He wore a red shirt and red jeans, and crossed his arms with a small smirk on his face.

"That is my family." I'm holding my beautiful wife, Aki, in my right arm, and my wonderful and cheerful daughter, Nya, in my other. The boy there is our brave son, Kai."

"Why are you telling me this?" Zane wondered, looking from the picture to Richard.

"You're quite the opposite of my son. Kai fights for nobility and honor, while you fight to protect others. You're joining so that you can get the cure for a family member, aren't you?"

Zane nodded, "I am…."

"I thought so," Richard said, giving a nod. "I don't know much about you. According to your… records… you're an orphan that was taken in by the inventor, Julien Juliens, when you were eleven. You grew up with him for a year- helped him make the F.A.L.C.O.N. and then enrolled into a nearby college. You graduated this last year at 14, being the youngest graduate in Ninjago history. Is all of this correct?"  
"Yes, sir. It is."

"It also says that you are in a relationship with a female named Pixal—another inventor."

"I am…"

"Do they know you're here… your father and your partner, I mean?"

Zane shifted uneasily and hesitated, "they… do not know, sir."

"Then why are you here?"

"I am here because my father is ill, sir. I must get the cure to treat him."

"The disease is spreading quickly, isn't it? You know, it says in your records that you showed symptoms of it long ago—but it only put you in a coma for a few days, rather than proving to be fatal."

"That is correct," Zane nodded.

"You lost your memory in the process… almost as if your mind had been shutting down at the time. You were close to death but something kept you alive."

"Yes."

"I knew that the moment I saw you that you were special. You are one of three people to have suffered the same fate from this disease, a short-term coma and memory loss."

"One of three, sir?"

"Yes. The other two were very different in age—and that is what concerned us. One of them was an older man, nearly in his 30's. He doesn't even remember his name. He was taken in by a gang and has given himself an unknown name. The other was a very young boy, who is still in his coma. The boy, or child rather, is only two years old."

"Two years?" Zane asked, surprise clear in his voice.

"Yes. There must be something happening in your bodies that make this disease not fatal. It must be in your DNA, or your immune systems are that well formed. In any case, you are a brave young boy with survival training and a very smart mind. That is why I think it's in the army's best interest to bring you in."

Zane looked at him in slight surprise. He hadn't planned on them taking him in so easily. They didn't even ask his father for permission.

"Thank you sir. And I trust the cure will be sent to my home?"

"Of course. Your father will be as healthy as the day he was born."

.

_Dear Father and My Dear Pixal,_

_January 9, 2003_

_I'm sorry to have made you worry for such a long time. You have not heard from me in almost a week. I had hoped that the package containing the cure would explain where I had gone…. I had to enroll to save you, Father. I could not bear to see you pass when I couldn't do anything. You said to focus on making one person healthy and happy… and I decided that the person should be you._

_Training here is... rather difficult… but shows many results. I'm much younger than anyone here, and yet I surpass them in strategy skills, and am equivalent to them in physical ones. I can tell they are trying to go easy on me since I'm so young, but I don't feel like they should. After all, the enemy on the battlefield won't._

_I hope to see you two soon— alive and well. I will fight hard and bravely to reach that goal. I miss you two terribly. I love you both._

_-Zane Julien_

.

_Dear Zane,_

_January 14, 2003_

_Your father and I have been worried sick. We never got a letter from the department saying you enrolled… all we got was the package with the small vial of cure inside._

_Your father has gotten a lot better. He's moving around a lot more and can finally make food for himself. He always says that he feels guilty… and I understand. He feels like you're suffering to save him._

"_You have a whole like to live, and I'm just an old man. My time is nearly up. You don't need to die in the army." He always says._

_Just promise me that you'll try to get home safe. Okay? I love you, Zane._

_-Pixal_

_._

_Dear Father and Pixal,_

_April 14, 2003_

_General Richard says he will take me under his wing from now on. He says he finds my skills interesting, and claims that they are the best he's ever seen. I guess that's a good birthday present, now isn't it?_

_The others finally treat me as though I'm one of them. We were draining in hand-to-hand combat yesterday and I managed to beat one of the toughest people here. I think they were always judging me on my size rather than actually noting how well I did. I'm just happy that it's resolved now._

_-Zane Julien_

_._

_Dear Zane,_

_April 22, 2003_

_Second in command, huh?_

_I heard around town that people have given you a name. I believe it was "Soldier of Ice". I think the name is because you fight the best out of anyone in a frozen climate. We saw a few records and how long you could stay in the frozen ponds before coming out for a breath and warmth._

_We're so proud of you, Zane._

_As far as what's going on here… I've been feeing a little under the weather. It's nothing serious, just a minor headache is all. Maybe it's because I'm struggling to build a machine. I don't know._

_I'm just glad to hear that everything's working out for you!_

_-Pixal_

_._

_Dear Father and My Dear Pixal,_

_August 23, 2003_

_I'm going into battle soon…_

_I don't really wish to go, but they said that they need my strategic abilities to plan out the battle. They said that if they needed to… that they'd put me on the front lines… Richard recommended it because he said I'm a skilled fighter and have a perfect shot._

_I won't be able to talk to you guys for a while. It'll be odd, not receiving your letters every week or so. I'll write everything that happens into a journal and I'll send it to you. Maybe then you'll have interesting stories to tell everyone back at home._

_Until next time…_

_-Zane Julien_

_._

_Dear Son,_

_February 5, 2004_

_It's been a year since you have enrolled, and now you're second in command to General Smith. I'm proud to call you my son. I heard that your strategy on the field saved a lot of lives on both sides. You are considered a hero back here, and everyone loves your new book._

_The cases of the diseases are spreading and growing rapidly in other villages across Ninjago. They are trying to release the Cure-All now, but they have trouble finding enough ingredients to supply the right amount._

_My symptoms have gone away... however Pixal seems to be showing signs of it. I can begin to smell the decay in the house and we are the only two here. I fear that she will fall to the disease as well. I will keep you updated at much as I can._

_-Dr. Julien_

.

_Dear Father,_

_April 11, 2004_

_I've heard rumors from the other soldiers and I have seen the news reports… Are those who died of the disease really coming back to life? I heard that there was an incident where someone was attacked and bitten… and that they're in critical condition in the hospital… _

_It sounds like something from those movies we used to watch. I never thought it would be possible. It must be horrifying… I have the base here to look after me, while you and Pixal only have each other. Please take care of each other._

_And I pray every night that she will be okay…_

_-Zane Julien_

_._

_Dear son,_

_April 16, 2004_

_Happy birthday, son (I hope this gets there in time)!_

_The virus has taken a zombie-like turn. The one who was bitten was turned into one of them. Luckily, the girl was in containment and didn't bite anyone else. They're studying samples to find out what happened._

_Pixal has gone into a coma… she just collapsed one day. It's been three days since she's been in there (maybe longer, depending on how long this letter takes). She seems to have been in the same condition as you… so I think she will be okay. She may end up with memory loss, though… according to the doctors._

_I hope that everything is going okay at the base. You better be eating if you're training that hard. I'll talk to you soon._

_-Dr. Julien_

_._

_Dear Father_

_June 24, 2004_

_I met a boy and a woman in one of the towns we patrol. The boy, more of an infant than anything, seemed to have been crying, and the mother seemed desperate to find some place safe. I really wanted to invite them to live with you, but I did not want to leave you a surprise._

_The mother said something about how their house was attacked and she was forced to leave the child's father to save their son. She spoke of her husband and her son highly. Almost as though they were destined for something great. It just seemed odd to me, how you and General Smith talk highly about me in the same way. Is it because you think the same about me?_

_I won't be able to write to you for a while. There was news that an attack has been planned, and everyone seems to agree that it's best to attack the attackers before they get us. I was one of the soldiers chosen to go. General Smith is riding with us to the site. With him in charge and with my strategy skills, we should be able to make quick work of this. _

_If Pixal wakes up, tell her I love her._

_-Zane Julien_

.

I slid my pistols into place and clipped my sniper rifle to my back. With a loud huff I pulled myself up onto my horse and looks over to General Smith. We had both agreed that instead of bringing large, heavy tanks, that it would be best to travel light and undetectable by the enemy. It would also be great for the strategy I had shared with him.

"We will meet them at this valley, and race down the sides of these hills. We will have the advantage of being on higher ground. They might have their heavy machines, but they can only aim so high." Zane told the general. He paused for a moment and looked to the white-clad uniform on the general's horse. "General, it appears that your camouflage is drooping on your horse. If we ride to fast it will fall. We cannot risk you being seen and shot."

"Zane, you are my second in command. I know you will do well to take over if I fall. Though, I do have a family to get home to." Richard replied, tightening the outfit on the horse's front. He climbed onto the horse and looked back to his army. "March!" He ordered, and with the soft galloping of his horse, the army followed the two men.

"Did you write to them…?" Zane asked as they ventured.

Richard paused and sighed, "I did. But just like any other time, I only told them that I was gathering minerals for the shop."

"You still haven't told them you're the General to the N. M and M.?"

"No… and I want to keep it a secret for their safety. I'll tell them in time… and perhaps Kai will become the new general."

"Your son is no older than 13. From the way you talk… you sound like you don't plan on living through this battle." Zane spoke. "Is it that hard of a war that you feel like you are simply sending us all into a suicide mission?"

"No, no. It's simply that the possibility is there. We've fought with these people before. They're a massive group that just don't seem to learn."

"What do you mean by that?"

"They were banished from Ninjago long ago. Ever since then, they've been planning on returning for revenge. It is our job as the N. M and M. to defend the people from them."

"Do they have a name? These bandits?"  
"They do. They call themselves The Skulkin Army. They take the bodies of those who die and wear the bones as trophies."

Zane shivered at the thought, "And… how many have they killed?"

"Thousands upon thousands. The group likes to use heavy mechs and tanks made from the bones that they have melted together into large pieces of armor. It's not a pretty sight, but who's going sight-seeing when we're in the middle of a war?"

Zane swallowed and looked ahead, "Right."

"Halt," Richard called, pulling on the reigns of his horse. "We've arrived."

"Alright troops," Zane ordered, turning his horse to better see the men behind him. "West side you go the long route around. Northern troop, you attack right ahead. Southern, you get Northern's back. Eastern, you ride around the side and try to meet with Western. When you tow meet you fight the back, understood?"

"Yes!" All the troops called.

"General Smith and I will be among the Northern troops! Wait for my signal and then we will charge!" The soft rumbling on the ground startled a few horses, which threw their heads around nervously. "Western, Eastern, move to your positions. Stay out of sight!"

The rumbling grew louder as the left and right wings of the army began to break off, galloping to the far hills and out of sight. Zane saw the first few troops of the enemy army round the corner and walked into the valley.

Their skin seemed to have been painted white, like a skeleton. He could see the bones that had been stitched to their skin, baring a sign of pride to them. None of them had hair, and they all wore skull masks over their faces. They were armed with bows made of melted skeletons, and their arrows were made with sharpened tips.

One of them paused and looked around for a moment before looking directly at Zane and General Smith. After a moment of considering, he quickly raised his bow.

"Ambush!" He cried, quickly grabbing an arrow and firing it at Richard.

"No!" Zane shouted, turning his horse to try and slam into Richard's. But it was too late. There was a loud crack, and the sound of flesh being ripped open. Zane looked at the general, horror in his eyes. "_Richard!_ No!" He screamed, leaping from his horse and kneeling at the fallen general. Anger boiled in him and he flew his head towards the oncoming army. "Charge!" He shouted, his voice hoarse. The soldiers behind them gave out loud battle cries before kicking their horses. They thundered around Zane as they rushed into battle.

General Smith lay on the ground; the arrow lay on the ground next to him, broken. The tip was still imbedded within his chest, right where his heart would be. The general gasped for air and gripped his shirt tightly. "Z-Zane…" he choked out.

"R-Richard… don't do this… please…. You have a family tog et back to, Rich," Zane called, placing a hand over the general's. "Stay with me." He choked out, tears filling his eyes.

"Zane… lead the army…" Richard coughed. "Show those Skulkin… what happens when they… come back."

Zane looked towards his army that had clashed with the other. Sword blows were dealt, arrows flew from bows and bullets blasted from guns. A few horses shrieked within the group, and a few machines exploded into a fiery ball.

"But… I'm just a boy… I can't rule an army…" Zane whispered to himself.

"Yes, you can… I know you can…" Richard managed. "Zane… I have to ask one last thing of you…"

"Anything, General."

"When you make it out of here… please… tell my family the truth… let them know what I really was."

"I… I will. I promise." Zane sobbed, raising a hand to his face to wipe a tear.

"Now go… destiny will decide what happens now…" Richard whispered, his strength leaving him.

"Rest easy… my friend," Zane whispered, reaching towards his mentor's face and shutting his eyes. "I will make your sacrifice… worth it."

Zane stood up and quickly ran to his horse, jumping up onto it and kicking its sides. The valley was filled with soldiers of both armies, all fighting each other. The strategy had worked, and slowly the enemy number was lowering in the back. If things went the right way… then this battle would be over… and the N. M. and M. would be victorious.

.

Tears rolled down Zane's cheeks as he stood in front of the crowd of people. He gave a small chuckle and wiped his eyes.

"A general shouldn't cry, huh?" Zane spoke into the microphone in front of him. After a few minutes he gathered himself and swallowed. "I've been here for two years, going onto three. I've never met anyone as brave as Richard Smith. He was a great man. He was a general who protected this land… he was a mentor to me… he was a friend… he was a father and husband…. He fought courageously, and for the safety of others."

Some people in the crowd looked to each other, tears in their eyes. They had known Richard a lot longer… and the loss must have been hard on them.

"On the field, Richard gave me role as General. A position he has planned on giving his son once he became proper age… but he is not. I'm not the right age either. I don't know anything about leadership. I'm a follower, someone who puts other peoples' needs and wants before mine." Zane announced, glancing over the crowd. They looked to each other, confusion on their faces.

"For the good of the N. M. and M. I will give the role of General to someone who will use it wisely…. It is someone who has fought bravely for our land since I have been here. He has excelled in both strategy and combat skills. That person is… Tomas," The crowed cheered and looked to the soldier who had just been promoted. Tomas looked up to Zane in surprise.

Tomas was a brave man who always wore some kind of red clothing on him. His eyes were almost snow white, and at first glance you'd think he was blind because of his eye color.

"Thank you, General Zane," he said, giving a small bow.

"As for me… well… back when I first joined I promised my family that I'd see them again. I feel like I've earned that right. Tomas will take my role as general and I will return to my family. After all, the whole reason I decided to fight was to save my father. I think I have the right to see him before he passes. Thank you all for your bravery on the battle field, and I hope to visit you all soon enough." Zane smiled to the group and walked from the podium, the crowd erupted into cheers.

.

"Father!" Zane cried, rushing towards his father and throwing his arms around him.

"Zane! You're back!" Julien exclaimed, hugging his son back. "It's good so see you!"

"It's good to see you too, Father," Zane said, loosening his hold and looking into Julien's brown eyes.

"Ha, look at you, my boy. You're so grown up!" Cyrus called as he stood from his seat.

"It is good to see you, Mr. Borg," Zane smiled, taking the handicap man's hand and shaking it.

"It's good to see you too, young man."

"Where is Pixal…? I wish to see her, if that is okay." Zane asked, looking back to his father.

"Pixal just woke up a few hours ago. They're going to do a few more tests and then they'll release her. She doesn't know you're back yet." Julien replied.

"I'm glad she's awake. Where is the falcon?" Zane wondered, looking up and around the sky.

"He will be here soon, son. You know, we never did name it."

"That's true… we didn't. But I think that he doesn't need a name. Only a whistle," Zane smiled, giving a loud whistle.

A few moments passed and the sound of a sharp bird cry filled the air, and the black bird came fluttering down to Zane. It perched on his arm and nudged his cheek, giving off soft coos.

"I'm glad to see you too, my friend," Zane chuckled.

"Dr. Julien? Mr. Borg?" A voice called, and a doctor walked up to the two.

"Yes? That's us." Julien replied.

"Is she alright?" Cyrus asked.

"More than alright," a voice called. A purple blur came from nowhere and suddenly Zane was on the ground.

"Pixal!" Zane exclaimed, wrapping his arms around the girl. "I've missed you so much…"

"I've missed you too…."

"Pixal seems to be okay. She amazingly survived the operations and didn't suffer from memory loss- the usual consequence of the virus. She was one of the lucky ones." The doctor said to Pixal's father.

"I'm glad to hear," Cyrus replied, smiling to Zane and Pixal.

"Pixal, my dear." Zane spoke, holding Pixal close. "I know we are young, but after the threat of war and death, I cannot help but ask one thing as a return gift to you." He stepped away from his love and kneeled down, holding Pixal's hand. "Pixal Borg… will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" Pixal gasped and raised her other one to her hand, a bright smile on her face and tears of happiness streaming down her cheeks.

"Yes, I will." She managed to say.

.

"How many do you want?" Zane called form the other room, scooping stew from a pot.

"How about we all eat three, if only to make it fair," Pixal replied in the living room.

"I don't really feel like eating that much. I'll only take one," Julien said, his eyes glued to the television.

It was a week before the wedding, and everything seemed like it was getting back to normal. Julien, Zane, and Pixal spent their time together making inventions, people had finally stopped cheering for Zane whenever he walked to them and talked to him, and Pixal was good as new.

Zane had hung his military gear up in his room, saying that he would have stuffed it in a box and left it but he felt like it was a trophy of sorts. Sure he regretted taking the lives he did, but he also felt proud that he had saved many more.

"Dinner is served," Zane said, passing a bowl to Pixal and to Julien. He left to get his own before coming back, sitting between Julien and Pixal. "What are you watching?"

"We were just watching the news. They still haven't found General Tomas yet…" Pixal replied.

Zane sighed. He had appointed Tomas Pyre as the general for the N. M. and M. because he thought that the man would be reliable and there for the army. But nearly 2 months after he was appointed Tomas had disappeared and lots of files had been stolen.

"I still can't believe that Tomas would do that. He was such a brave man. He was a little twitchy at times, and muttered to others on rare occasions, but he had his wits about him and fought with honor."

"The N. M. and M. is falling apart because nobody can agree who should be the new general. It sounds like they need you back…" Julien spoke.

"While it would be for their good… I don't think I should. I have lost precious years with you two, and I will not lose any more. Especially with this disease going around."

"Did you hear that the disease has spread to a wider portion of the population now? It's almost as if the disease is changing at will. One moment it's perfectly harmless, and the next it's taking symptoms no matter how long you've had it." Pixal spoke, shifting a little closer to Zane.

"It's a frightful thing… watching Ninjago slowly crumble away when we need to pull together to figure out a cure. It feels like this place isn't safe anymore…" The blonde replied.

"Pretty soon… I'm afraid we will have to leave this town and go somewhere else. Look at the radar—the disease is getting closer to Birchwood everyday. We have to move before then." Julien spoke.

"Right… and we will need a few inventions to help us with supplies. Having a large supply of food and water is going to help us survive longer." Zane pointed out.

"Then I guess it's to the drawing board…" Julien sighed.

.

"Does everyone have at least one bag?" Zane asked, swinging two over his left shoulder. Pixal and Julien nodded in response. "Then we should move. Judging by the radar we have a day before the disease spreads to Birchwood, and we can't risk being here when it happens."

"But where are we going to go?" Pixal asked, walking alongside her fiancée.

"We will travel to Ninjago City. Pixal's father lives in Borg Industries. There should be enough chemicals and tools to create a cure of our own." Zane answered, glancing to her as he stuffed his bags into the car. "It will take a day to get there, but we will reach the city."

.

"Is it almost done filling up?" Zane called to his father, poking his head through the gas station window.

"Almost. We're about half way there."

"Right. Pixal and I will gather whatever's left of this food and get some water." Zane replied, walking back into the broken store. "Pixal, what do you have so far?"

"I have a few pastries that haven't been opened and a few bottles of water that I found in a few piles of debris."

"Have you checked the back yet?"

"No, I was just going to."

"Right. Go and look, I'll join you shortly, my dear."

Pixal nodded to him and walked over to the steel door, kicking the lock and walking in. Zane looked around the store and gave a small nod. There wasn't much they could take without risking disease or some illness of some sort.

Zane huffed as he picked up Pixal's bags and slung them over his shoulder. He glanced to the back door and nodded slightly. "Pixal, I'm going to drop whatever you've found into the car. I will join you in the back shortly."

"Okay!"

Zane walked out to the car and saw his father staring at the horizon. With a puff of air he placed the bags into the trunk and walked over to him.

"What do you see?"

"Shadows… Zane, I think they're here."

"The infected people?" Zane replied, his eyes widening.

Julien nodded and looked to the car. "There must be a lot of them. We'll have to fight them. Grab the guns."

Zane quickly rushed to the car and pulled out his military vest, throwing it on top of his snow-camouflage shirt. "Just like the war," he mumbled, handing his father two pistols. He grabbed his own sniper rifle and the rest of his gear- a combat dagger and a few grenades.

"Pixal doesn't know they're here. We have to find her."

"There's no time, son. If we go in there we might not make it out in time to fight all of those infected."

"Very well," Zane sighed, lifting his weapon up. "Well you were right about one thing… there are quite a lot."

"We must take refuge. They're coming from the east too." Julien spoke, and Zane turned to see the horde.

"Perfect," he mumbled, walking towards the door to the gas station. They quickly both made it in, weapons up and ready to fire. A sudden scream filled their ears, and they both looked in horror to the back door. It burst open and a group of them filled the room. Zane gasped as he noticed a purple cloth in one of the zombies' jaws. "Pixal!"

"Wait!" Julien ordered, grabbing Zane's shoulder before he could walk into the horde. "We don't know if she was bitten."

"But she-."

"She can take care of herself. Right now, we have to go!" Julien exclaimed, reaching into Zane's vest and quickly pulling out a grenade. With a small huff he took off the hook and threw it at the corpses. He quickly grabbed Zane's shirt and forced him out of the building. "We have to get to the-!"

"Stop!" Zane called, forcing Julien back. The horde form the east was already crawling towards the car, leaving no time for them to have driven away. "This way!" Zane shouted, running towards the West.

"Come on, run faster otherwise they'll get us!" Julien called, forcing Zane to run faster.

Zane swallowed and turned his head to look at the gas station as the grenade exploded, thoughts of Pixal running through his head.

.

It had been 3 months since they had lost Pixal and there was still no sign of her. Zane had taken the loss harshly, but he forced himself to keep moving. He had to at least save his father.

"We're just lucky that this man was a soldier." Julien spoke, grabbing a few more bullets from the nearby box and throwing them into a backpack.

"I believe this is Tomas's house," Zane replied, picking up a picture of a man and looking at it. "It definitely looks like him."

"Well at least he kept his bullets and equipment at home."

Zane nodded and helped his father with the last few shells and opened the next box of bullets. A small thud caught his attention.

"Did you hear that?" He asked, walking over to the window.

"It was probably just the wind or something. You know it can't be anyone. The zombies like to move, remember? They wouldn't stay here this long."

"Right…"

The two men spent the rest of the time gathering whatever bullets they could and eat as much as they could before shoving the rest into a separate bag.

"We could sleep here for the night." Julien spoke. "Who knows when the next time we'll find a village is…"

"We do not want to get too comfortable. I will stand guard while you sleep for half of the night. Right?"

"If you wish," Julien sighed, laying down on the couch. "I do have to say, it feels good to sleep somewhere that isn't made of soil or wood."

Zane chuckled, "I would imagine so."

.

The first half of Zane's shift went on without a sound. But eventually Zane heard the thud once more, and his curiosity got the best of him. He wondered outside with his pistol and looked around. The only sign of movement he saw was the wind blowing a tree branch against a shed. Perhaps that was the thud?

Zane walked over to it and heard the thud again- much louder this time. It was just getting to daybreak, so there was little light to let him see. Eventually he saw the shed door with the rusted lock. It moved as another thud met his ears.

_They're trying to break out, _Zane thought to himself. _We should leave…. I don't have a good feeling about this._

Zane turned to leave as a loud crash echoed through the backyard. With a gasp he whirled back around to see the shed door now open. He quickly raised the pistol and bit his lip. A low growl came from the shed, and it was soon followed by footsteps. A large group of zombies burst out.

_The town must have stuffed those infected into the shed. And they've finally broken free…_

Zane quickly turned and rushed towards the house, the zombies stumbling after him. "Father! Father wake up! We're being attacked! They were in the backyard the whole time!" Zane shouted, slamming the door closed and locking it.

Julien quickly rolled off of the couch and grabbed his bag. "They never quit, do they? Quickly, outside! It'll be harder for them to sneak up on us there."

The two rushed out of the house and charged down the street. Suddenly something lunged at them from a nearby car. Zane felt himself be ripped off of his feet and slammed into the ground. A loud growl filled his ears and he quickly raised his hands to stop his attacker from biting him.

"Zane!" Julien called, stopping and looking to him.

The dog on top of Zane growled lowly and snapped at him, foam coming from its jaws. It tried to scratch him through his vest but failed.

"Father look out!" Zane cried out, looking to his father.

Julien tried to turn, but it was too late. Suddenly the attacker was latched onto his back and sinking it's rotting teeth into the professors neck.

Zane forced the dog off of him and drew out his dagger, forcing it into the hound's neck. He quickly with drew it and grabbed the pistol he had dropped moments ago. With great precision, Zane whirled around to his father and fired the bullet to his attacker.

.

A few days had passed since the loss of his father, and Zane continued to run, only stopping for bodily needs. He could make it to the city. He had to. He had to make his father proud.

A loud groan filled his ears, and he quickly climbed the nearby tree. Seconds later the source of the noise wondered by, stumbling through the foliage. Zane would have shot it, but he had seen a horde nearby not to long ago and the sound could attract them. He'd just have to kill it with his dagger. He shifted on the branch, getting closer to the edge. If he could time it right he could have it cushion his fall and kill it then and there.

Suddenly the military garbed teen felt the branch shift, and a loud crack filled the air. Zane quickly rolled up and rolled on the ground to absorb the shock as the branch fell from the tree.

"There's always that one variable in a plan that prevents it from working," he sighed, looking towards the corpse as it rushed towards him. He quickly ducked under it's arm and kicked it's back, knocking it to the ground. He gave a loud huff as he jumped on top of it and dealt the deathblow.

"That takes care of that," he mumbled, wiping the greenish-brown liquid off his blade on a nearby leaf. He sheathed it and continued on his journey.

_There are clearly more than there used to be… the disease is spreading… there's no doubt in that. Unfortunately for the world… if this continues for much longer there will be no hope. There would just be too many infected and too few to find a cure. _Zane sighed and looked up to the sky. _The only way to save this world now is to get to Ninjago City- to Borg Industries- as fast as I can. Perhaps then I may see my dear Pixal and father once more… as I remember them… not as beings that are willing to eat me to survive. I can only look forward to that—!_

Zane gasped as he felt his feet slip out from under him. He began sliding down a wet and muddy hill- his white suit and blonde hair becoming caked in clay and wet soil.

Pain shot through him and he bit his lip as he came to a stop at the bottom. He winced and swore under his breath as he looked to his ankle, seeing a large gash tore in it and in his boot. The red plasma on a nearby rock told him what had happened. The rock must have reopened and worsened the scratch his father had given him…

He quickly removed his glove and took out his combat knife. His a huff he cut the sleeve, throwing the dagger next to his injured left and took his other glove off. Carefully he attempted to wrap up the wound. He couldn't rick having it open and getting infection.

He placed his dagger back into its sheath and put on his gloves. It wasn't a good bandage- and it definitely wasn't gauze- but it would have to do for now. He didn't have any medical supplies or painkillers. He'd have to suffer through it until he got to a house and found something better.

He winced as he slowly got to his feet. Hopefully the next house wouldn't be too far away…

.

Zane had walked for 2 more days with his injury. It hurt more than anything- even his emotional state- but he had to make it to the city. He could only wish that there would be a house eventually.

Finally he saw a house. It was nearly sundown, and it meant he wouldn't have to spend another night in a tree with a wounded ankle. It was a large house- more like a mansion. Surely he'd be able to find something there.

And if he were really lucky, he'd possibly find a survivor.

.

Zane sat on the bed, giving a loud sigh. He finally had refuge and some food in his stomach… not to mention painkillers. All he could wish for was for the man- Garmadon- would give off his secrets of this so called "cure" he had mentioned the day before.

Zane stood carefully, using the bamboo stick Garmadon had given him as a crutch of sorts. Garmadon said that he would explain everything today, and Zane was rather eager to hear it. It sounded like the man knew more about the disease that he was letting out.

Zane made his way downstairs and sat on the couch, setting the stick to the side and sighing once more. "What is it today?" He called to Garmadon, even though he already knew the answer.

"Same as it was yesterday… oatmeal." The man said, handing Zane a hot bowl.

"Thank you," Zane spoke, taking the spoon and stirring it.

"It is no trouble…" Garmadon replied in almost a whisper. He sat on the couch next to Zane and sighed. "So I guess you're expecting answers now, aren't you?" Zane nodded. "Very well… let's just say that I have my ways of knowing these things, alright?"

"Very well. I will try to avoid questions until the very end." Zane assured.

"Right… now where to begin…"

"The beginning is always a good start." Zane suggested, taking a small bite of his food.

"Right. You see, my wife is a wise and beautiful woman who knows what to do in a situation. Long ago- just before this apocalypse started and the disease was getting out- I was in a group of thieves and savages. It was right before my wife Misako gave birth to our son, Lloyd, that I joined. There was a war raged between them and Ninjago for years, but the last one- the one that happened just a few years ago- was what changed my ways. We heard that the general had died, and a new one took his place. When I learned who that general was… I turned against the army.

After I left I tried to get back here as fast as I could. Unfortunately members of the army had already been here… they had attacked my wife and son and it was my fault… I had nobody left.

But I remember seeing a note… and I believe I still have it… from my wonderful Misako. She had written that she and my son were going to run away for the time being. They were going to be safe… they had gotten away from the army.

I had always felt something was special about my son. Though he was small he was mischievous. I would look for him but Misako knows good places to hide. Places that even I, as her husband, don't know the location of. She had told me that she would entrust our son to my younger brother so that they would be separated and harder to find. I can only hope that it's working. The only place I could think they would be would be in his mansion far, far to the north of Ninjago City."

"But what about this cure you mentioned? How does that come into play? And how do you know of the disease?" Zane asked.

"You see… Misako sent me a letter a month ago. My son had gotten a scratch while playing outside, and had gotten dangerously close to one of the zombies. Apparently his wound had bled, and some of the blood got into the corpses scratches. Misako said that the corpse stopped trying to attack… and that in two days time… it died."

"_Died_? That's no cure!" Zane exclaimed.

"However." Garmadon said sternly. "Misako had found out that the body had internal bleeding. So she set out and found one that had only died from the disease. And miraculously… my son's blood cured it. The body had come back to life, and as a normal human being with some memory loss and a few rotten teeth."

"Your son's blood is the cure." Zane's eyes widened in realization. "That's why you wish to find him!"

"Yes… that is why."

"We must leave immediately! He is the only hope this world has!" Zane spoke, grabbing the bamboo stick and standing up.

"We are not going anywhere," Garmadon spoke, staying in his seat. " You must heal first."

"But-!"

"I wish to see my son, yes. But going out with a wound, or rather wounds, like that won't get you very far or get you there very fast. Rest first- then go."

"Fine…"

.

A loud thud jolted Zane from his dreams. He quickly ripped the blankets off of him and grabbed the bamboo stick, rushing over and pulling his vest and boots on. He drew his dagger and rushed to the door, leaning against the wall. Another thud sounded, followed by a small cry of pain.

Zane burst from his door and rushed to the source, limping slightly. He ripped open Garmadon's bedroom door and gasped. 2 men were fighting Garmadon, trying to fight him.

One of them had dark skin and bright golden eyes. His hair was shaved with the exception of a white mohawk-like line. He wore an orange sleeveless vest and a piece of steel chest armor over his right bicep. He had black pants and boots on. He had a lot of scars on his body, and seemed to have two spikes surgically implanted in his neck. He seemed very muscular.

The other was rather skinny and pale. He had white hair that curled and spiked into his face while the rest was pulled up to spike away from his head. He wore a long green overcoat and a light green muscle shirt with dark green jeans and boots. He had bright red piercings on his lips, nose, eyebrows and ears. His eyes were also golden.

"We need to bring him back to the base otherwise the boss'll throw us into the pit," the one in the vest spoke with a deep voice.

"Then let's get 'im, Skalidor." The skinny and pale one replied.

"If you two were smart you'd leave right now," Zane spoke, reaching to his vest for a pistol.

"Lookin' for these?" The skinny one asked, holding up both of Zane's pistols, a smirk on his face.

"Nice job, Acidicus!" The one in the vest called. He cracked his knuckles and smirked. "I'll take the skinny one. He looks like he'll put up more of a fight than the old man."

Skalidor raised his fist and brought it down on Zane, who ducked and spun around to kick him but missed. Zane huffed and tried to punch him but winced as Skalidor turned, making his fist strike the metal plate on his chest. Skalidor smirked and reached up, grabbing Zane's hair and shoved him into the nearest wall.

"You could have stayed in your room and stayed uninvolved but you had to be the hero, didn't you?" The muscular man spoke, throwing Zane onto the floor. As he landed Zane rolled and spun, getting onto his knees.

"Get your hands off of me!" Garmadon shouted, kicking Acidicus in the stomach. Zane looked away form his opponent and looked towards the two fighting men.

Big mistake.

Almost immediately Skalidor rushed forward. Zane turned his head to look at him just in time before he felt his hair be grabbed tightly and get pulled. Skalidor lifted Zane's head then brought it down on his knee, smirking as a loud crack filled the room. Zane fell to the ground, limp and unconscious.

.

It was cold when Zane woke up, and there was a loud crash of thunder in the sky. His neck was in pain, but it didn't nearly match the agony coming from his face. He cringed as he slowly rose to his knees. He was still shaky, but he could still move around.

He made his way to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. His nose was broken towards the left side of his face, and he was missing two bottom teeth. With a sigh he grabbed some toilet paper and soaked it in water, carefully washing the blood away from his face, wincing every time he touched his nose. With a sharp cry he snapped his nose back into place.

After taking care of the rest of his minor wounds he looked around the room. There was clearly a fight. Things had been knocked over and broken. He was just lucky that he didn't get hurt any more by the items that had been tossed around in the attack.

Zane found his bamboo stick and began searching through the room. Unbelievably, Zane found his two pistols in the rubble of the room. He wondered into his room and made his way downstairs. Acidicus must have dropped them during the fight.

_There aren't any bodies here… that must mean that they took Garmadon alive. They probably think that he knows where his son is. No doubt they're looking for the cure like everyone else… but why not work together with anyone to get it?_

Zane made his way downstairs and found the place had been stripped on any food. _They took the food too? They must have had a vehicle of some sort. There is no way they got all the food and Garmadon on their bodies and got away like that. I'm just lucky that no zombies nearby heard anything going on. I could have been bitten while I was on the ground._

The strangest thing about the attack… was that there was little to no evidence. If someone had wondered in they would have seen the mess and thought a zombie attacked and the habitants left.

_As much as I dislike not trailing them… I see no evidence as to where they are going. The best hope I have is continuing my journey to Borg Industries. If I am lucky enough I shall find someone or something that can help me find either Garmadon or Lloyd. It would not be wise to just search in general locations for them. Then it settles it. I'm still going to Ninjago City._

_._

(Now we're back in the present time)

.

"And that is my story," Zane spoke softly, looking at the fire. It was silent for a few moments as the other three boys seemed to try and absorb everything. Zane didn't blame them. It was a lot.

"If you were a soldier then prove it," Kai spoke. He seemed tense and ready to attack if anyone said anything wrong.

Zane only nodded and stood. He unclipped the vest and dropped it to the ground before pulling up his shirt. "I got these wounds and many more in the battle that your father was lost, Kai." Zane spoke, looking at the cyclist. There were many scars including sword blows and a bullet hole. "I'm truly sorry. He fought bravely… and he was an amazing leader," Zane said, lowering his shirt. He clipped the vest back on.

"So… you came to Ninjago City and found us there," Cole finished, looking up to the blonde. "And now you want us to help you find Garmadon or Lloyd to find a cure."

"That is the plan, yes." Zane nodded.

"Well how do we know Lloyd isn't infected by now? From the way you make it sound he's really young." Jay wondered.

"Lloyd is with his Uncle and if my thoughts are correct he would be immune to the virus. If his blood truly is the cure then he could never become infected. The disease travels through the bloodstream, and if Lloyd's blood cures the disease, his anti-bodies would destroy the virus before it reached his brain." Zane assured. "But even with that as a factor we must hurry. His blood cannot save him from thieves and bandits."

"I'll go as long as you find Nya," Kai snarled. "You promised you would."

"And I shall, Kai. But you must be patient. It will not be something that can happen overnight. However, I can speed up the process," Zane thought, whistling loudly. A few silent moments passed before there was a rush of wings and a large black falcon landed next to Zane. "It is nice to see you too, my friend." The bird cooed in response and nuzzled his hand. "Now listen, my friend, I require you to fly up into the air and search for a girl. She um… Kai, can I see that bracelet?"  
"Why?"

"The falcon cannot search for Nya without at least seeing it. And if Nya sees it she will know to trust it."

"I guess so…" Kai spoke, removing the bracelet and handing it to Zane.

Zane slid the bracelet over the falcon's head so it nestled just above its wings. "Use the DNA on the bracelet and find Nya Smith. This is top priority, my friend. Please hurry." The falcon seemed to take in information before giving a loud caw and flapping its wings. With one last sharp cry it took off into the darkness. "Now can we rest and press on in the morning?" Zane wondered, looking to all the boys.

"Fine. But if Lloyd isn't the cure and you're lying to us-."

"I'm absolutely positive he's the cure, Kai." Zane spoke, raising a hand to stop the cyclist.

"Fine." Kai huffed, crossing his arms. "If you say so."

"But how do you know where he is?" Cole asked.

"I do not. I am merely going on instinct and where Garmadon says his brothers mansion is."

"So you don't even know how far north it _is_?" Jay questioned.

"No, I do not."

"So as far as you know we could be going into glaciers?" Kai frowned.

"Right."

"But being in freezing temperatures is like a death sentence!" Jay cried out.

"The cold will numb us and prevent us from becoming infected quickly if we are bitten. It will also prevent too much pain if we need to cut a limb off," Zane reasoned.

"But I don't' like the cold…" Jay whined.

"Yeah, well, you can suck it up. We're going to find that cure because I want Nya to be safe." Kai snapped.

"Then I suppose that it settles it. We press on in the morning." Zane spoke. "And we won't stop until we find the mansion.


End file.
